Calling all HVAC pros. Does this gas flame look yellow to you?

I am selling my house and a home inspector came through the other day and noted a possible cracked heat exchanger based on a "very yellow flame". Can you take a moment and watch this video I took of the flame and let me know if you see anything out of the ordinary? The furnace is an Amana Air Command 80 (about 18 yrs old). Darn thing looks brand new. I was shocked to learn its age.

Thanks for the time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDZ8SOOPvZg

Re: Calling all HVAC pros. Does this gas flame look yellow to you?

lowkee said:

I am selling my house and a home inspector came through the other day and noted a possible cracked heat exchanger based on a "very yellow flame". Can you take a moment and watch this video I took of the flame and let me know if you see anything out of the ordinary? The furnace is an Amana Air Command 80 (about 18 yrs old). Darn thing looks brand new. I was shocked to learn its age.

Thanks for the time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDZ8SOOPvZg

Click to expand...

You live in NC. An 18 year old furnace has about 4 actual years of use on it.

The flame looks fine, with a little dust in it. You can't tell that a heat exchanger is cracked from the flame anyway.

I call B as in B, and S as in S.
Did he hand you his brother in laws heat contractor calling card?

Re: Calling all HVAC pros. Does this gas flame look yellow to you?

Thanks for the opinion. I didn't want to sway any opinions by saying this beforehand, but the same guy said my screen porch had no footings (there are 20) and commented on how my gas fireplace had a heavy smell of creosote, lacked a required CO detector (it is on the wall) and had multiple issues with the screen porch which would never pass building inspection (the building inspector who passed it liked hearing that when I told him, he came by and passed it again, just to make it known). Too bad that idiot home inspector cost me a home sale from his being a moron, the buyers are backing out from fear of his doomsday report.

Re: Calling all HVAC pros. Does this gas flame look yellow to you?

I can't understand how he can say it is the heat exchanger without putting a CO detector in the outlet of the air handler after the exchanger. A crack in the exchanger will cause CO to enter your living spaces in your house.

Those yellow flashes appear to be dust particles buring off from entering the venturi where the gas and air are mixed. This is happening before it enters the exchanger.

I work only on commercial units. When we have cracks in the exhanger, usually the exhaust will soot up and be hotter than normal along with high CO in the outlet side of the air handler.

Just my opinion, but I would see if there is a way to discredit that inspector. When I sold my house, the inspector checked all operations of safety switches, CO, gas pressure, and ducts. He spent 2 hours on a NEW unit that was just installed. All he found wrong was the thermostat needed the heat anticipator adjusted.

Good luck, but I would do my best to have his inspection declared unsatifactory.....SS

Re: Calling all HVAC pros. Does this gas flame look yellow to you?

A Cracked heat exchanger will cause the flame to move back towards you slightly when the fan starts...Furnace fans start when the heat exchanger gets to certain temperature and the fan switch closes...So if it is cracked and after it heats up and expands the crack it will let a positive pressure through and change the way the flame looks...The non blue color(meaning yellowish orange) is dust and other stuff in the flame(furnaces don't usually run with that much secondary air from the louvered panel taken off)...With that type of furnace all you have for adjustment is gas pressure, manifold pressure, and primary air) they usually don't get to out of whack...

In my experience home inspectors mean well, but are pretty worthless when it comes to HVAC...

my advice call a pro, spend the 75$, have some peace of mind, and move on...

Re: Calling all HVAC pros. Does this gas flame look yellow to you?

Hey lowkee,
Just watched your video
Everything they said above^^^^^ , and forgive me if I echo some of what they said.
In the video you show it lighting off, the flicker you see is dust as mentioned above, if the heat exchanger was cracked the flame would change when the blower kicked in, not on light-off . I have seen flames go nuts when blowers kick in because of cracked exchangers. When the blower kicks it goes to positive pressure on the one side, if there is a crack it would change the air/fuel ratio. Did he use a combustion analyzer, is he BPI certified (Building performance Institute ), I highly doubt it ? I real inspection would include heat loss, furnace efficiency etc... You might want to see what your local utility has to offer for a BPI Inspection get it done and show it to prospective buyers.

I'm BPI certified, and could use a vacation I love the south this time of year ....Just Kidding lol

Re: Calling all HVAC pros. Does this gas flame look yellow to you?

That furnace sounds like a car idling! The flame looks great to me.

Re: Calling all HVAC pros. Does this gas flame look yellow to you?

Thanks for the replies, guys. It likely needs a cleaning anyhow, so I'll call a guy to come check it out just in case the next inspector is equally as lacking.