If your home has an electric or gas furnace, you have a convenient, comfortable source of heat for your house. You just need to make sure to use it safely. The two main safety concerns with a furnace are fires and carbon monoxide gas leaks. Here are the basic steps heating contractors recommend to minimize your risk for both.

How to Improve a Furnace’s Safety

1. Install a Carbon Monoxide Detector

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas, which makes it almost impossible for you to notice when it starts to build up in the house. If you breathe too much of it, you may experience headaches, dizziness, nausea, confusion, shortness of breath, weakness, and blurred vision. Eventually, you could lose consciousness. Too much of this gas can be poisonous, and you may not notice any symptoms if you’re sleeping, which can make it easier for the gas to become deadly. A carbon monoxide detector installed near the furnace will alert you if the levels in the area are too high. This way, you have a chance to get your family out, air out the home, and call your heating contractor for furnace repairs.

2. Clean Your Furnace

Cleaning the furnace's burners helps them burn the fuel more effectively and can reduce their production of carbon monoxide. Also, soot and grime in your furnace can catch fire, so cleaning it minimizes your fire risk. Keep the unit clear of all flammable materials; don't place anything that might burn within a few feet of it.

3. Perform Maintenance

When your furnace is tuned up and is checked over regularly by heating contractors, you're less likely to have fuel leaks, electrical shorts, and other equipment problems that increase your fire risk. Schedule maintenance at least once a year with your heating contractor. They'll look it over for damage and wear, and will also ensure it's cleaned correctly and doesn’t generate dangerous gasses.

For a heating company to perform furnace installation and maintenance in Monroe County, choose Jaenke Heating & Air Conditioning. For 50 years, this family-owned company based in Waterloo, IL, has been providing reliable, knowledgeable service and installing equipment from top brands including Aprilaire®, Bryant®, and GeoComfort®. To schedule an appointment, call (618) 939-8029, or check their list of services online.