Today’s modern furnace systems do a spectacular job at providing heat and comfort for our winter havens, and when they are used properly they are safe. Nevertheless, as with any sort of appliance that burns fuel, a home heating system can encounter problems that can pose a threat to the health and safety of those in the home.
In order to keep your home safe this holiday season and throughout the rest of the winter, our local technicians at Newark-Heath Heating & Cooling put together the following list of 7 easy furnace safety tips:
Keeping Your Licking County, Ohio, Area Home Safe This Winter!
Keeping “Safe Zone” Around Furnace
You can decrease the chances of fires caused by a furnace or home heating system by keeping the area surrounding the unit clear and free and open and most of all — kid free. As such, storing anything near the furnace is a bad idea. This is especially important to realize when it comes to anything that might be flammable, like fuel, paint or household chemicals.
Establishing Written Safety Rules
This goes for anyone out there who doesn’t live alone, and especially for those with little ones and even teens in the house. To ensure furnace safety, make sure everyone who lives in the home knows the furnace safety guidelines or rules for the home. This can be posted as a list of the rules on your refrigerator. As indicated above, you should never allow kids to play anywhere near the heater or furnace. Furnace rooms truly should be “kid free zones.” Equally as important, make sure everyone in the home knows what to do if there’s an emergency, and what to do for each type of emergency. Moreover, in case of a gas leak, make sure everyone knows precisely where the gas shutoff valve is located and how to use it, if you have a gas furnace.
It’s Not Too Late For Maintenance
Sure, your furnace might seem to be running fine now with the heating season in full swing. However, if you haven’t done so yet already, we must emphasize that it’s never too late for seasonal furnace maintenance. One of the most important parts of a furnace tune-up is the opportunity it affords our certified technicians to check your home heating system from top to bottom to make sure everything is operating safely and efficiently. Our techs check for any problems (like damaged or burnt electrical wires or cracks in the heat exchanger) that could pose serious safety problems. No matter how you look at it, furnace maintenance is vital and well worth the small cost. Not to mention you’ll have peace-of-mind knowing your home heating system is good to go this winter! It’ll thank you with added energy savings!
Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Because carbon monoxide gas leakage is one of the most serious safety hazards in a home, it is vital to check to test all of your home’s carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they are working properly. Carbon Monoxide leaks are often caused by furnace malfunctions. As such, on top of checking the function of your system, you should individually test all of your carbon monoxide detectors. If necessary, install a new pair of batteries in each unit if the batteries are getting old.
Smoke Detectors
If your home heating system isn’t operating the way it is supposed to, your furnace can become a fire hazard during the wintertime. As such, on top of checking your furnace, now is a good time of year to test all of the smoke detectors in your home. This should be done every year. Like carbon monoxide detectors, you should install a fresh pair of batteries in each unit when the batteries are old.
Furnace Filters
Bad air filters restrict the flow of air to any HVAC system. For a furnace, this is not only expensive but also dangerous. Because of the added strain on the furnace, the system has to work harder, which reduces its lifespan and raises energy costs. Dirty or obstructed air filters also increase the chances of a carbon monoxide leak; it causes dirt to build up on a furnace’s various components. As such, it is essential you remember to check and change your filter every month this winter.
Call Us If You Suspect Any Issues
It’s not worth taking chances when it comes to any sort of fuel-burning appliance, let alone a furnace or home heating system. As such, it’s always best to stay on the safe side and call our friendly professional team here at Newark-Heath Heating & Cooling if you suspect that anything’s going awry with your system. If you have any questions about these furnace safety tips, or if you’d like a heating system serviced or installed in your home, give us a call today at 740-212-5849, or schedule an appointment now by clicking here!
