Emergency Furnace Repair for Portage Park Chicago Bungalow

The homeowner noticed a faint smell and their carbon monoxide detector had triggered briefly the night before. When we arrived at 7 AM, they mentioned the 18-year-old Carrier furnace had been acting strange - short cycling and making unusual sounds.

Portage Park bungalows have a characteristic tight basement layout. This home's furnace was tucked into a corner near the original coal room, with limited clearance on all sides. The previous homeowners had installed the furnace themselves, and we discovered several installation issues that had stressed the heat exchanger over the years.

Our diagnostic process revealed a serious issue that required careful handling:

Initial Diagnosis: - Combustion analysis showed elevated CO levels (120ppm - normal is under 50ppm) - Visual inspection revealed a hairline crack in the secondary heat exchanger - Unit was immediately locked out for safety

The Good News: Most contractors would have quoted a full replacement ($6,000-$8,000). However, we checked the warranty - the Carrier heat exchanger had a 20-year warranty, and this unit was only 18 years old.

Warranty Repair Process: - Filed warranty claim with Carrier (approved within 24 hours) - Ordered replacement secondary heat exchanger - Installed temporary electric heaters for the family

Repair Day: - Removed and replaced the cracked heat exchanger (labor only - part was covered) - Corrected the flue pipe angle that had contributed to the failure - Installed a new flame sensor (original was worn) - Performed complete combustion analysis to verify safe operation

Total cost to homeowner: $850 (labor and minor parts) vs. $7,500+ for replacement.

The furnace is now operating safely and efficiently. We counseled the homeowner that while the furnace has life left, they should budget for replacement in 3-5 years and consider a high-efficiency model.

Follow-up: - Scheduled annual maintenance to monitor the repaired unit - CO detector tested and verified working properly - Homeowner saved approximately $6,650 by pursuing warranty repair