# carrier/payne furnace heat exchanger issues



## gomongo1 (Jan 16, 2008)

Hi, first time here any advise would be appreciated. I have lived in my home for 4 years the carrier furnace was manufactured in 1986. I have recently received some disturbing information, regarding the heat exchangers on carrier/payne units installed in the mid 80's. Apparently the heat exchangers were manufactured using polypropylene-laminated steel (instead of industry standard stainless steel),which over time can corrode causing a carbon menoxide hazard. Are new carrier/payne furnaces now built using stainless steel,or are they still using this seemingly substandard (not to mention dangerous) polypropylene-laminated steel?


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## bigMikeB (May 31, 2007)

Almost all new quality furnaces have stainless heat exchangers, some of the less expensive models use aluminized steel. Your unit at 22yrs old is about at the end of it's life cycle.


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## gomongo1 (Jan 16, 2008)

*new furnace going in*

Thanks for the info. I have a friend of a friend in the HVAC business coming over this weekend, to take some measurement for a new unit. The unit he mentioned putting in is a Payne, now I've heard these are on the lower end under the Carrier brand, would it be safe to say the unit being installed has a stainless heat exchanger?


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## bigMikeB (May 31, 2007)

More than likely. As a side note, hire a real pro in the business and not a moonlighter. The installer, his work and how he warranties it mean more than brand nowadays. The cheapest job is never the best one. Would you want the cheapest heart surgeon? Or a budget bungee cord ?


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## cookbart (Mar 19, 2009)

*carrier heat exchanger*

Does anyone know the approx cost to install a heat exchanger on a carrier wave system 58 It appears that mine is gone after 12 years but has a 20 year warranty


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## hvaclover (Oct 2, 2008)

Around $800 here, could be more could be less in your area.


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## yuri (Nov 29, 2008)

As far as I know Carrier is still using the poly coated heat exchanger and adamantly states that it is thicker and better and was never a bad idea in the first place. Go figure. Carrier/Payne/Bryant are 99% identical from what I have seen. Payne is marketed differently. Cheaper due to shorter warranties but the same components. Like GM and Pontiac, Ford/Mercury same idea. Yours is likely 95% shot and may be full of pinholes.


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## kenmac (Feb 26, 2009)

cookbart said:


> Does anyone know the approx cost to install a heat exchanger on a carrier wave system


 

I guess it would also depend on the location of the furnace also. Tight crawl space , ETC,


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## Patbrown28 (Nov 29, 2014)

I have Carrier SX58100 furnace that was leaking water below the inducer motor. Took it apart. The secondary heat exchanger was broken in 6 places. It was junk junk junk. It was over 20 years old. The local carrier dealer got me a new secondary heat exchanger and primary heat exchanger tubes. It is quite a job, and bottom line is this. Never buy a used furnace. With a furnace over 12 years old, junk it and get a new one. Doing the labor my self is ok, and a learning experience, but most people would say why are you doing that. I'm not most people, but I do realize that 3 years ago, when I bought the furnace, I should have just gotten a new one. Never checked the serial number, and here it was 20 years old when the guy told me it was 7.


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## roughneck (Nov 28, 2014)

Even at 7 years old, I'd have passed and bought a new piece of equipment. 
All those cracks were a direct opening for carbon monixide to get into your living space. 
So did you replace the heat exchanger on this unit?


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