Carbon Monoxide and Heating Systems

Every year there are many deaths that could be avoided by a few simple checks, or the addition of a carbon monoxide detector in the home. The worst thing is that many of those people will have never known that they were under attack by a silent killer.

One of the products of the combustion of any fuel is carbon monoxide gas. The concentration of this gas can vary greatly depending on how complete the combustion process is. Many heating systems will check the combustion process and shut themselves down if the flame becomes too unstable and begins to produce harmful gases. There also are many heating systems still in service that do not check and will produce carbon monoxide gases. If carbon monoxide gas can get into your living environment then you and your family could be at risk.

To reduce the risk of carbon monoxide gas affecting your home, you should have your furnace checked every year. Make sure that the venting system of the furnace or boiler is in good condition. Make sure that the safety controls work properly and are not bypassed. Never bypass the safety controls to get heat even temporarily. Make sure that if you are using an unvented appliance in your home that you follow the instructions by opening a window a bit to give the heater fresh air. Many of these appliances have a oxygen sensor in them to protect you. Make sure to clean this device yearly and if the heater keeps going out and you don't know why, it could be because of oxygen depletion in the room.

Plugged chimneys, bad vent piping, wrong gas pressures, faulty, dirty burners, and many other things can cause carbon monoxide to build up in your home. Be careful to have all of these things checked often. If you heating system is not acting right then you need to have it checked immediately.

One of your best defenses against carbon monoxide is a detector. I like the ones that actually give you a digital read out of the level of the harmful gas in your home. You will find that even your gas range or oven will produce carbon monoxide and it is helpful to see when even low levels occur. The other reason is because the detectors that only give a warning on high levels will often not warn you till the gas reaches deadly levels. You want to be aware of these levels long before the reach deadly levels. This gives you time to get a problem identified and fixed. Also time to evacuate if necessary.

For best peace of mind, spend the money to buy a good quality carbon monoxide detector and then make sure you get it out of the bag and install it. Get your heating system serviced by a professional that can check the combustion process to make sure your heating system is burning cleanly and efficiently. By doing a few simple things you can protect yourself and the ones you love.