Know Why Your Family May Be at Risk
Carbon monoxide is a gaseous substance that can, if inhaled, can deprive the brain and vital organs of oxygen, causing dizziness, nausea, fainting, and other escalating symptoms. These fumes are colorless and odorless, and don’t create any sound as they move through your air supply, making it extremely hard to tell when carbon monoxide is present in your home.
The potential sources of carbon monoxide are numerous, and at times it can seem like there’s nothing you can do to stop carbon monoxide from threatening your family’s health. But by helping you understanding where carbon monoxide comes from, our HVAC specialists can help you take steps to avoid, detect, and resolve any carbon monoxide issues you may face.
How Your Furnace Produces Carbon Monoxide
One of the main potential sources of carbon monoxide fumes, as identified by the CDC, is your furnace. As it works to heat your home, your furnace produces carbon monoxide as a byproduct of its internal combustion processes. When your furnace is clean and well-ventilated, that byproduct is safely channeled away from your home. However, if soot, dirt, or other substances have built up within your furnace, the ventilation could be blocked, and the carbon monoxide can leak into your home alongside heated air.
Keeping Your Loved Ones Safe
While carbon monoxide may seem scary, there are actually a lot of simple preventative methods that you can take to safeguard your home. Aside from getting your furnace professionally cleaned at least once a year, simple changes in the way you use your appliances and equipment can drastically reduce the risk of carbon monoxide fumes invading your home. Use the do’s and don’ts that our technicians have compiled below to make sure your family isn’t put at risk.
What You Can Do
- Have your heater cleaned and maintained every year to prevent dangerous build-up
- Get a battery-operated carbon monoxide detector for your home to alert you when the hard-to-detect fumes are present in your air supply
- Seek immediate medical attention if you or your loved ones feel dizzy, light-headed, or nauseous inside your home
What to Avoid
- Leaving your car running in your garage
- Cooking or burning things in a stove or fireplace that isn’t ventilated
- Using a generator, charcoal grill, camp stove, or other gas or charcoal fueled device indoors, even with a window open nearby
- Using a gas-powered oven to heat your home
- Using any outdoor equipment powered by a gas engine, such as generators or power washers, near open windows or vents
- Neglecting essential furnace maintenance
Call a Professional if You Suspect Your Furnace is Poisoning Your Home
If your carbon monoxide detector has gone off, your loved ones have started showing symptoms, or you have your suspicions that your furnace isn’t properly ventilated, contact Nu-Air Heating & Cooling for immediate assistance. Our furnace maintenance team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to prevent dangerous fumes from being released into your home.
Call (985) 288-2445 or send us a message online to schedule your regular furnace cleaning or to get immediate solutions to your carbon monoxide issues!