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Find Furnace Flaws Fast
by Roger Faris
A faulty heating system can be a grave health hazard. I once lived in a small rental house that had a gas heater in the living room. It kept the little place warm in the winter, but not dry. I noticed that the windows were always covered with condensed water droplets, but didn't realize that the source of moisture was the exhaust from the heater. A later inspection revealed that a bird had built a large nest in the chimney flue. For an entire heating season I had been breathing air which was laced with carbon monoxide. When spring arrived I turned the unit off and stopped feeling so tired. My frequent headaches also disappeared. I was lucky to be alive.
Clogged chimneys are a remarkably frequent occurrence. Brick mason Bob Martin reports that he has come across several bird nest cases like mine. He told me that it's also common for a mixture of soot, mortar, and fallen bricks to accumulate in the bottom of an old chimney. This debris can partially or completely block the furnace flue connection. Clearing out the material is a simple, though messy chore.
Another source of carbon monoxide poisoning can be a defective furnace. I asked Doug Hamilton, of Northend Home Heating, about corroded and cracked heat exchangers in older oil and gas appliances. He has seen many of these, and reports that even some fairly new appliances can have serious corrosion problems. When this happens, combustion gas can mix with the heated air which is distributed throughout the house. An oil burning furnace reveals this defect by the oily smell. Exhaust gas from a natural gas furnace is damp, but almost odorless. It may not be noticed.
Doug has seen a few gas furnaces that have a cold air return opening which is too close to the appliance. This is usually an unfortunate legacy of a badly installed conversion from oil to gas. The old oil fired unit had a combustion chamber and flue system that were pretty well sealed, so a nearby air return inlet would not be a hazard. On the other hand, the flow of air and gasses through a natural gas heater is less contained. The colorless, odorless, and toxic carbon monoxide can sometimes be pulled right out of the furnace and into the circulating air system.
I asked Doug about other dangerous furnace conditions. He told me about people who store things near, or even right against their furnace. This can partially block the source of combustion air which is necessary for clean burning and good draught. If the materials are flammable, it can also be the source of a house fire. I thought that sounded unwise, and resolved to head down to my basement and move that stuff today.
I've come to realize that there is no substitute for having a service expert do an occasional check of the condition and safety systems of all furnaces. This is particularly true of oil to gas conversions. According to the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, these should be checked at the start of each heating season. An expert service call can save money, as well as health, since the operating efficiency can usually be improved. When you schedule the visit, be sure to request an inspection of the automatic safety devices, the venting system, loose connections, and any evidence of rust or cracks.
If you live with a fuel burning appliance, as a final safety backup you might buy and install one or more carbon monoxide detectors. They are effective and inexpensive. These devices will soon be as common as smoke detectors, and for the same reason: they can save your life! For more information about CO poisoning and CO detectors, call the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission hotline (1-800-638-2772).
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