How Can I Tell If My Furnace Is Leaking Carbon Monoxide?

Signs Your Furnace Is Leaking Carbon Monoxide

During the cold weather, you probably run your furnace nearly constantly. However, while you're getting cozy, you may be at risk. Since furnaces rely on combustion to produce heat, they generate gases, which can be toxic. One of the most dangerous is carbon monoxide.

What Is Carbon Monoxide and Why Is It Dangerous?

Carbon monoxide consists of one atom of carbon and one atom of oxygen. It's relatively common among appliances that rely on combustion, such as charcoal burners and cars. Unlike its harmless cousin, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide can be harmful in even small amounts.

Difficult To Detect With the Naked Eye

Carbon monoxide is colorless, so you can't tell if it's present by looking. It also doesn't have a smell, so you could be breathing it without knowing it.

Quickly Causes Poisoning

Carbon monoxide can take as little as five minutes to make you sick, depending on how saturated the air is. The following are common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning:

• Chest pain
• Vomiting
• Headache
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Death

How Can You Tell If Your Furnace Is Leaking?

Ideally, you should have carbon monoxide detectors if you have a furnace. These devices are about the size and shape of a smoke detector, and they sense trace amounts of carbon monoxide in the air, much like smoke detectors sense smoke. Once the air saturation reaches a certain level, the device's alarm activates, emitting a shrill beeping.

Unusual Smells

While carbon monoxide itself doesn't have a smell, the combustion process generates a burning scent. However, that should remain in the furnace where the process occurs. If you smell burning while running your heating, you may have a leak.

Soot Marks

Are you noticing soot or smoke around your house? If so, they may be a sign that your furnace is leaking. 

How Can You Prevent Leaks?

So, how can you protect yourself from carbon monoxide leaks? The best cure is prevention, and there are plenty of things homeowners can do to ensure their furnaces are in tip-top shape.

Get Your Furnace Professionally Installed

You may be tempted to DIY your furnace installation to save money, but even a small mistake during the process can create an unsafe situation. Instead, you should hire heating system experts to tackle the task.

Schedule Annual Maintenance

Your furnace works hard, and over time, it'll get dirty and worn. Furnace maintenance clears away accumulated grime and allows technicians to replace old and broken parts. The result is a safer appliance that also works more efficiently.

Additionally, regular maintenance ensures technicians catch any issues before they become dangerous. To ensure your furnace is in good shape before you start using it daily, you should schedule maintenance in the fall.

Change the Filter Regularly

Your heating system has filters that prevent soot and other particles from filling your vents. After a while, these filters fill up and no longer perform their function. To keep your air quality high, you should replace them regularly.

Does your furnace need repair? Next Level HVAC can help. For more information on how we can service your heating system, contact us at (707) 228-9921 or visit us online.