Furnace Red-Tagging Explained And How To Deal With It

Is your HVAC system struggling to turn on and off? Learn to recognize HVAC problems early so you can avoid permanent damage.

Furnace Red-Tagging Explained And How To Deal With It

Furnace Red-Tagging Explained And How To Deal With It

14 October 2021
 Categories:
, Blog


In some cases, you may be able to put off furnace repair for a while, even as you continue using it. This is not the case if your furnace gets red-tagged during a maintenance call or inspection. If this happens, the technician will shut down your furnace and recommend you discontinue use until you replace the unit or address the specific furnace repair concerns.

What Is Red Tagging?

A technician will add a red tag to your furnace after finding a crucial problem with your unit. Such pose a serious threat to your health and safety, which is why immediate shutdown may be mandatory.

Among the most common issues which inform red-tagging a furnace is a broken or cracked heat exchanger. Cracks or similar damage to your heat exchanger can lead to the release of carbon monoxide into your spaces. In high concentrations, CO2 can be deadly. Fire and electrical hazards are other common reasons for red-tagging a furnace.

What to Do?

Get in touch with a professional furnace repair expert as soon as possible after your furnace gets the red warning tag. Your primary options, in this case, include the following.

Professional Furnace Repair Service

Issues related to fire and electrical hazards can easily be resolved with professional repair. Ensure you hire a licensed and experienced furnace repair expert to assess the damage and carry out the repair work. Repair is, of course, a less expensive option than replacement, and if done well, you can look forward to your unit functioning like it's as good as new.

Heat exchange Replacement

A furnace repair may not exactly apply to cases where you are looking at a severely cracked or broken heat exchanger. Given how hazardous it can be to operate your furnace with the heat exchanger in this state, you will have to replace this component. A heating repair expert should be able to replace the heat exchanger for your unit.

Furnace Replacement

Instead of replacing only components, such as the heat exchanger, you can choose to replace your furnace. This is an option worth considering if you have had your furnace for quite a while. You will want to get a furnace with better efficiency and overall performance when getting a new one.

Don't Wait

A red tag on your furnace is a serious warning, requiring prompt action. Keep your unit shut down until a furnace repair specialist has a look and recommends the best option for you to restore the safety of your unit and your space.

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Keeping My HVAC System On Point

About a year ago, I could tell that our HVAC system was really starting to struggle. No matter what we did, the system seemed to have a hard time turning on and off. When our air was running, it smelled terrible. In the winter, it seemed like our home was never warm enough. To ward off sudden failures, we hired a professional to come out and inspect our system. After a thorough analysis, we discovered that there were some serious fan problems. This blog is all about recognizing HVAC system problems early and keeping your system on point, so that you can avoid permanent damage.

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