| Lennox Industries, a major maker of
high-efficiency home gas furnaces, has announced a factory-subsidized inspection program
(recall) for Lennox Pulse furnaces installed between 1982 and 1989.
A company news release said unacceptable levels of
corrosion had been found in some of the heat exchangers of furnaces manufactured and
installed during that time. "A combination of things, such as condensation,
impurities in fuel, inadequate cleaning or irregular inspections can, over the lifetime of
the unit, lead to undetected corrosion of key components of the heating system", said
Bob Schjerven, president and CEO of Lennox. "Improperly inspected or maintained
furnaces can develop problems, including the possibility of carbon monoxide leaks that
could be fatal," he added.
If you are unsure whether his or her furnace is covered by
the program, he or she should remove the front door of the furnace and find the name
tag. It will contain a number beginning with "GS14" or "GSR14",
etc., followed by a series of other numbers and letters. One should then contact Lennox at
(800)537-4341.
- - IMPORTANT
UPDATE - - Lennox
appears to have discontinued their free inspection program with respects
to this furnace problem. The above telephone number will give you no
useful information. If you suspect that you have one of the furnaces
affected, I would recommend that you contact your closest Lennox dealer
for a complete inspection, as soon as possible. Whether or not
Lennox wants to accept further responsibility here or not, doesn't
preclude the fact that a problem can exist with some of these furnaces. On
a regular basis, I am still finding furnaces that have never been
inspected for this problem and are in need of repair. Don't let a
$60 - $80 service call stand in the way of your safety! |
