Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention For Your Home

Not a winter goes by that don’t hear about that family that passed away in their home for unknown reasons only to find out days later that it was due to carbon monoxide poisoning.  It is a sad statistic and while it is not easy to stop poisoning from carbon monoxide completely there are ways to prevent it.  We at Superior Co-Op HVAC want your family to be safe this winter and all winters to come so we thought that it was important to tackle this subject.  We feel that it is our duty to make homeowners aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide and give you some tips on how to prevent it.  An ounce of prevention is always worth more than a pound of cure!  So lets dive in!

The number one producer of carbon monoxide in your home is your furnace.  This is why it is so important to have your furnace scheduled for annual maintenance or better, semi-annual maintenance so that we can detect a problem before it becomes deadly for you and your family.  The fact is that making sure that you have regular maintenance will help detect problems before they start, keep your family safe and your furnace running at peak efficiency at all times!  This will also surely add years of service heating your home to the life of your furnace.

Carbon Monoxide and the Natural Gas or Propane Furnace

Most commonly, carbon monoxide is produced from these types of furnace because of incomplete combustion.  Generally there is a system in place that carries these gasses out of your home however, as a unit ages this system can become cracked or show other signs of it’s age.  However, even newer units can have this issue as well.

Making sure that you change out your filters twice a year and scheduling maintenance will ensure that your unit is completely using the gas source and venting the waste gases out side your home properly.  We will also make sure to inspect your ventilation system to be sure that you are not going to fall victim of any leaks that can be harmful to your family.  It is important to note that if you experience flu-like symptoms and your furnace is not functioning properly, you will need to get your self checked out ASAP, shut your system off, ventilate your home and call us immediately so that we have a chance to repair that for you!

Oil and Wood Furnace and Carbon Monoxide

Like it’s natural gas or propane powered counterpart, the oil or wood powered furnace can have a carbon monoxide can be present due to incomplete combustion of the fuel source.  It is important to keep these types of furnaces very clean to keep it functioning well.  If you notice that your unit is going through an excessive amount of fuel (no mater the temperature outside) , if it does not stay lit or if the surface is becoming excessively hot, it is time to call us in to take a look.

Carbon Monoxide is produced at a higher rate when your unit is dirty or running at less than peak efficiency.  This is a leading cause of carbon monoxide poisoning in your home if you have one of these units for heating.

Tips To Help You Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Do:

• schedule maintenance regularly and make necessary repairs as soon as possible
• change your furnace filter twice anually
• be aware of and alert to the signs and symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning
• install carbon monoxide detectors on every floor of your home
• keep the area around your furnace clean and tidy to allow plenty of space and ventilation
• keep the vents unobstructed by leaves, snow or ice

Don’t:

• store combustibles or solvents near your furnace
• block or close off more than 20% of the registers in your home, this will cause your furnace to overheat
• ignore signs that your furnace needs help-remember carbon monoxide is the silent killer
• assume that you are safe because your unit is high efficiency or new, any furnace can have an issue at any time

The very best advice we can give is to have carbon monoxide detectors installed in your home and schedule regular maintenance for your HVAC system.  We at Superior Co-Op HVAC make half of that equation so easy for you too!  We have our monthly service contract.  For a small fee every month, you are guranteed semi-annual maintenance on all of your HVAC equipment, priority emergency calls and savings that you cannot afford to ignore plus so much more!  If you want to learn more click here!  If you suspect that your HVAC needs attention now then make sure that you contact us today, you don’t want to add to the yearly statistics of families that have fallen victim to carbon monoxide poisoning!