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Hello from High Road!
October in Minnesota means the first cold mornings, the first time the thermostat gets switched over to heat, and that familiar warm-dust smell as the furnace wakes up for the season. It also means my phone starts ringing with questions about furnaces, and this month I want to talk about one of the scariest things a homeowner can hear from a technician.
Two words: Red tagged.
When a furnace gets red tagged, the technician has decided it isn’t safe to run. The gas gets shut off, a tag goes on the unit, and suddenly you’re standing in a cold house wondering how big of a check you’re about to write. Usually the reason given is a cracked or failed heat exchanger, the part that keeps the combustion gases separated from the air you breathe.
I want to be very clear about something: a red tag is serious, and sometimes it is absolutely the right call. A truly cracked heat exchanger can let carbon monoxide into your home, and we will never tell you a dangerous furnace is fine. But a decision this big, with your family’s safety and thousands of dollars on the line, deserves a second look.
What Happened on October 16th
Just last week, we got a call from a homeowner whose furnace had been red tagged by another company — one of the big ones. Their system had been shut down for safety, and they wanted to know if they really had to replace it.
So we went out and took a careful look. Here’s what we found:
- No cracks in the heat exchanger.
- Some rusty spots at the rings, which is the thinnest area of the heat exchanger — but everything was intact.
- Carbon monoxide in the flue measured 6 parts per million. (safe)
- Carbon monoxide inside the home measured 0 parts per million.
Based on what we found, we pulled the red tag, and that family had their heat back on.
We were also honest with them about those rust spots. They’re not a problem today, but they are something to keep an eye on. Regular maintenance is how we make sure those spots don’t turn into cracks down the road. The homeowner understands that, and that’s exactly how it should be: no scare tactics, no sugarcoating, just the facts so you can make the best decision for your comfort, budget and safety.
That’s what taking the high road means to me. It’s the reason I named the company what I did. Sometimes the honest answer is “you need a new furnace.” Sometimes it’s “your furnace is safe, let’s keep it that way.” Either way, you deserve the truth.
Words to Listen For
If a technician uses any of these phrases about your furnace, that’s your cue to call us for a free second opinion:
- Red tagged
- Condemned furnace
- Shut down for safety
- Unsafe to operate
- Failed heat exchanger
- Cracked, split, or breached heat exchanger
And please, if your furnace has been red tagged, don’t turn it back on yourself while you wait for a second opinion. Give us a call and let us take a look first. While you’re at it, this is a great time of year to make sure your carbon monoxide detectors are working.
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