Do Hot Dawg heaters loose efficiency over time?

[1233user]

I have a 60k btu propane Hot Dawg heater in my garage. The heater is at least 10 years old and has never really given me any problems. I have noticed that it is using more propane lately, but nothing has changed with the garage and it hasn't been excessively cold outside. I know that I don't have any propane leaks. I did notice that the exhaust pipe seems to be hotter than it use to be. In the past it would be very warm to the touch, but not too hot to hold onto. Now it is hot to the touch, and I can only hold onto it for a few seconds before I have to let go. It standard double wall B vent. Any ideas on what to check? Thanks!

 

[sick467]

If the heat exchanger is clogging up with linty fuzzy stuff...more heat will be lost through the exhaust and not put into the heated space. May be time for a cleaning.

 

[1233user]

If the heat exchanger is clogging up with linty fuzzy stuff...more heat will be lost through the exhaust and not put into the heated space. May be time for a cleaning.

Thanks for the reply. I remove the adjustable deflectors and vacuum and blow out the area that the heat exchanger tubes are in every year. I did that at the beginning of this heating season.