Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning With a Furnace Inspection & Tune-Up

A silent killer of unsuspecting homeowners, carbon monoxide is a completely preventable death. The furnace that heats your home is a frequent culprit of producing carbon monoxide. All you would have to do is have an annual checkup and tune-up of your furnace to stay safe.

Signs of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Many of the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning mimic flu, which makes it harder to identify as poisoning during the winter months when you are likely to get the flu. If you experience fatigue, headaches, vomiting, visual distortions, weakness, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, seizures, etc., see your doctor right away.

Then hire an HVAC pro to find out if you have a carbon monoxide problem with your furnace or your gas fueled stove. (Additionally, if you have a fireplace that is used often and hasn't been cleaned, check that. Burning wood can create carbon monoxide that will release into your home if it can't escape through the chimney.)

Inspection of Your Furnace

In the time it takes to watch your favorite TV show, a technician can inspect your furnace and use an instrument to detect levels of carbon monoxide. If the instrument shows that there is carbon monoxide present, the technician can pinpoint the leak and fix it. If there is no detectable levels of concern, but it is present, a tune-up of your furnace can prevent the problem from getting worse. The tune-up checks and changes filters, checks fuel lines if applicable, and checks the ignition switches and electrical components. 

After Your Furnace Has Been Tuned Up

Once your furnace is good to go with a clean bill of health, make sure you install carbon monoxide detectors throughout the house. It's smart to place them in outlets near your heating vents and your kitchen stove if it is fueled by gas. That way if anything does elevate CO levels, the detectors will alert you.