Are Gas Furnaces Dangerous?

Are Gas Furnaces Dangerous?

Natural gas is a common energy source used in homes and businesses around the country. If your home has a connection to a natural gas line, you probably use gas to power your oven, stove, water heater, and furnace.

Natural gas systems have a tendency to make people nervous. They’re concerned about toxic gas leaks, such as carbon monoxide, and combustion hazards. Most of these fears are exaggerated, but we do recommend people take caution when it comes to any natural gas appliance. We’re trained professionals in handling heating repair in La Quinta, CA and the surrounding areas, so we know a great deal about the safety level of gas furnaces—and how to keep them safe.

Let’s take a closer look at the safety of your home’s gas furnace.

Gas furnaces are built with safety features

Current manufacturers of gas furnaces design them with safety as the #1 concern. A contemporary natural gas furnace has a number of built-in safety features that will shut off gas flow in case of potentially hazardous malfunctions. Furnaces also have limit switches that will shut off the system in case of overheating.

Carbon monoxide detectors provide early warnings

Any home that uses natural gas, regardless of the appliance, must have carbon monoxide (CO) detectors placed around the various rooms. Most smoke alarm systems are also CO detectors. CO is a tasteless, odorless gas, so having a special system in place to detect it should it escapes from your furnace is an essential safety measure.

Routine furnace maintenance improves furnace safety even more

We can’t emphasize enough how vital it is to arrange for regular heating maintenance in the fall. This applies to alltypes of heating systems. With gas furnaces, the process takes on an additional importance. During maintenance, technicians check over the furnace to locate areas where safety issues might be developing, such as looking for cracked heat exchangers or leaks in the gas line. You can have repairs done before the cold weather arrives so the furnace works up to the highest standards of safety. Our regular maintenance program handles all the vital furnace safety checks.

Safety steps during the winter

You can take a few additional steps to help improve your furnace’s safety during the winter. Make sure the area around it is clear for about a foot, and don’t store anything flammable (such as paint thinner) near the cabinet. Change the furnace air filter every 1 to 3 months to prevent overheating. Keep all room vents free of obstructions.

Always arrange for prompt repairs when needed

You may noticed odd behavior from your furnace (strange noises, turning on and off rapidly) that don’t otherwise affect heating performance. You shouldn’t ignore these signs and put off having professionals check on them. Allowing a furnace to continue to run when it has a malfunction of any kind increases the risk of it turning unsafe. Plus, the faster you have the trouble fixed, the less costly the repair job is likely to be.

Russell’s Heating & Air Conditioning serves the Inland Empire and the Desert Communities.