4 Reasons Your Furnace May Have Rust

Rust is completely destructive to machinery, especially appliances, which rely on precise metallic parts to perform complicated functions. Take your heater, for example. Your heater relies on a series of pumps, coils, vents, and/or fans, as well a other metallic parts that are engineered to work together.

Why is rust bad for something like a heater? For one, it can seriously affect your air quality, especially if rust is in the central components of the machine. And second, it can spread to the extent that large swaths of metal inside your heater become brittle, porous, or completely non-functional. 

Rust is indicative of a series of problems with your home, its conditions, and how you treat this valuable appliance that keeps your warm. These are the top 4 reasons that your heater may have developed rust.

Humidity

Humid air contains evaporated water, which can settle on surfaces to create condensation. When humid air interacts with your heater, it can deposit moisture onto its surfaces. When both water and oxygen interact with metal, rust is often the result. If you live in a humid environment, you should consider placing a dehumidifier in the same room as your heater.

Poor Ventilation

Your furnace needs room to breathe, or allow air to enter and escape the system. If a clogged filter, crowding around the machine, or other common causes of congestion choke the heater, moisture is more likely to form inside the machine, causing rust.

Age

Unfortunately, rust forms on most metallic surfaces over time. It's a process of age, and little can be done to prevent it. The natural way to deal with this is to hire a heating contractor in Tacoma to inspect your heater regularly. Listen to their recommendations. Is it time for a new heater? How is your current one faring? If it's over 10 years old, components of your heater may have started wearing down.

Air Conditioner Runoff

Air conditioners are frequently installed above heaters so that they can utilize the same blower motor. The AC unit will often sit on top to let physics do its work, allowing warm air in the heater to rise and cool air in the AC unit to sink. Unfortunately, AC units often drip water or coolant. When the drip pan under an air conditioner, designed to catch this water, overflows, water will spill into your heater and invite rust to develop.

Whatever the cause may be, the only solution to rust in a heater is working with a heating contractor in Tacoma to repair or replace damaged parts, prevent further rust development, and install a new heating system when necessary.