The home is typically thought of as a comfortable place where the family can come together and enjoy each other’s company. It’s where parents know that their children are safe, even when they don’t have their eyes on them. But what if your home was dangerous? What if, unbeknownst to you, your home was quietly releasing poisonous fumes that could harm your family? The reality is there is a danger of Carbon Monoxide poisoning in any home with a gas furnace. The only way to be sure that your home is protected is to take precautions and get your furnace maintenance!
Gas furnaces burn fuel, and anything that burns fuel can generate Carbon Monoxide. Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless toxin that can cause severe illness or even death. It’s normal for furnaces to produce CO, but the problem occurs when it leaks into the air. How does this happen? When a combustion furnace runs, the combustion process takes place in a sealed chamber. The air that flows through your home goes past this chamber on the other side of an airtight piece of metal that separates the air, called a heat exchanger. Over time, the metal in the heat exchanger can deteriorate due to stress or age. When this happens, it can crack or develop small holes that allow the Carbon Monoxide fumes to seep through. Running a furnace with a broken heat exchanger is just asking for trouble!
Wondering how you’ll know if your home has fallen victim to this silent threat? Watch for symptoms! CO has flu-like effects, so at this time of year, be sure to pay attention to things like headaches, dizziness, faintness, drowsiness, pain in the ears, or spots in your vision. If these symptoms mysteriously disappear when you leave your home, you may have a serious problem. Watch out for a furnace that isn’t able to heat the house or runs constantly. Also, take note of soot on vents or unfamiliar burning odor.
It’s best to take precautions against the dangers of Carbon Monoxide poisoning and prevent it before it happens. Firstly, install a CO detector in your home. Your smoke detector is NOT the same as a Carbon Monoxide detector, so be sure that you’ve got BOTH in your home for ultimate protection. Be sure to change your filters to keep your furnace in tip-top shape. Finally, it is important to have your furnace regularly maintained by trained professionals. It’s imperative that annual inspections, cleaning, and tune-ups are performed.
F.H. Furr cares about the safety of you and your home. Be sure to have one of our trained technicians come out and make sure that your gas furnace is in good condition or to repair any leaks or damage. As with any problem, catching it at the beginning can mean the difference between a small issue and a disaster! Call to set up a 21 point Gas Furnace Tune-Up today!
