February 16, 2017
Whenever your gas furnace is running, carbon monoxide is being produced. However, there is no cause for worry. It is a natural result of the fuel-burning process. As long as your furnace is running properly, it is carefully deposited outside your home. Carbon monoxide is stored inside your furnace’s heat exchanger until it is safely moved through the flue vent to the outdoors. Carbon monoxide poisoning is a product of a malfunctioning gas furnace.
Breathing in too much carbon monoxide stops the body from using oxygen and can hurt the central nervous system and heart. While carbon monoxide poisoning can injure anyone exposed to the gas, it is more risky for people with existing lung or heart diseases, pregnant woman, infants and children. Here are some tips to ease your mine mind and maintain a healthy, comfortable and safe home.
1. Invest in carbon monoxide detectors. Carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless gas that can’t be detected by humans. Without a detector, it’s almost impossible to perceive carbon monoxide is accumulating in your home. You may not know until someone starts showing symptoms of poisoning. Put carbon monoxide detectors on every floor of your home, ideally near bedrooms, to be alerted to rising levels before anyone gets sick.
2. Be sure your gas furnace was installed properly. If your gas furnace wasn’t installed by professionals, you should have it looked at. The experts at Winters Heating and Cooling can make sure your blower motor is installed properly and that they don’t see any flaws in your ductwork design. Carbon monoxide can collect if there are problems in those areas.
3. Schedule annual maintenance. Regular maintenance is the best action to take to prevent carbon monoxide leaks from your gas furnace. During a yearly checkup, the experts will clean your system and examine it for malfunctions or problems. It’s also a decent idea to have any other gas-, coal- or oil-burning appliances professionally monitored as well.
4. Keep your air filter clean. A blockage of airflow caused by a dusty filter can cause carbon monoxide to bleed out from your system. Set a reminder on your phone or mark your calendar to routinely check your air filter and clean or change it per the manufacturer’s specifications.
5. Always rely on professionals to fix your gas furnace and other fuel-burning appliances.
Carbon monoxide can be a serious threat, but you can have peace of mind by taking a few safeguards. You’ll always have the professionals at Winters Heating and Cooling in Franklin & South Indy around to help, too. Give us a call at 317-406-5382 if you have questions or concerns about carbon monoxide or your gas furnace. You can also schedule an appointment using our online scheduler.