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A gas heating system is just one of the most popular ways people heat their homes. Although gas heat is a popular choice among homeowners across the globe, there are still several homeowners who would rather avoid using it because of safety issues.
Cases of explosions and carbon monoxide poisoning have been recorded, which are only some of the concerns people have regarding gas heat. With so many potential hazards, it is normal for people to be cautious and desire to know the safety considerations necessary for gas heating systems.
In this article, you will learn some of the safety considerations you should have, which will increase your confidence level in using a gas heating system at home.
Why Hire a Professional for Safety Measures?
Using a gas heating system portends no danger as long as you take the necessary measures for safety. Such steps start with the acquisition and installation of your gas furnace.
You must contact a licensed HVAC professional to install your gas heating system. Allowing only these qualified technicians to handle the system's servicing is equally important to keep it in safe and good condition.
Notwithstanding, you can do a few things yourself that will further ensure your family's safety while using a gas heating system. You can potentially save your life from the dangers of using a gas heating system if you know what to look out for and how to take care of the unit.
How to Keep Yourself Safe
The following are some precautions you should take concerning keeping yourself safe while using flued gas heaters:
Install carbon monoxide and smoke detectors
If a leak happens with your gas heating system, it will be near impossible to detect it on your own. Carbon monoxide can be released from such leaks, which is extremely difficult to detect when the right technology is not used.
Carbon monoxide
This gas is dangerous because it is colourless and odourless. When high levels of carbon monoxide are emitted into the home, it can lead to severe symptoms or even death in some cases.
Installing a few carbon monoxide detectors in your home is the best way to combat this potential issue. By placing a carbon monoxide detector near your gas heater and one on each floor of your home, you will have created a system that can warn you of the presence of dangerous gas in the air.
Creating a detector system this way is your best bet for detecting a leak in your gas heating system before you or your family come to harm.
Smoke
It is also vital to have smoke detectors in your home. If your gas heating system malfunctions in any way, it can lead to a fire outbreak before you even have the time to respond appropriately. Knowing early when a fire breaks out gives you and your family ample time to safely exit the house.
After you have installed carbon monoxide and smoke detectors, make sure to inspect them regularly to confirm that they are working correctly. Check for any digital symbol showing; this precaution is necessary to ensure they will not fail when it matters most.
Your detector may have a test button, which you can push to confirm it is on. Take note to change the batteries regularly so as to be in a good position to detect carbon monoxide or smoke early.
Note the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning
Since carbon monoxide (CO) is colourless and odourless, it would be difficult to tell if or when it is poisoning you. If there is too much carbon monoxide in the air, your body will begin to take it in to displace the red blood cells in your blood.
You may notice several symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, such as confusion, dizziness, headache, troubled breathing, and vomiting. If you or any family member suddenly start experiencing these symptoms, it is best to withdraw to somewhere with fresh air outside your home.
You can then figure out what could be responsible for the experience. You should contact your gas company immediately for an inspection. Most of them have emergency numbers for this type of situation. Knowing the potential symptoms and acting on them accordingly is one of the best precautions you could take.
Keep the area around your gas heater clear
Keeping your gas space heater clear is another way to keep your home and family safe. This is more so because storing items such as construction tools and materials in the room where your gas heater was installed is always tempting. Unfortunately, having the wrong items near your gas space heater can spell disaster for you and your family.
Keeping flammable items such as paint, gasoline, or materials that produce sawdust away from your gas space or heating systems is especially important. In a fire outbreak, these items are highly flammable, and as a result, the fire will worsen when exposed to them.
Clean or replace your filters regularly
The filter in your gas heater system plays an essential role in its overall performance. Maintaining proper airflow can contribute to the unit's optimal performance. However, when its filter gets clogged, it can reduce the system's efficiency and contribute to unhealthy air in your home.
Some filters can be cleaned when dirty or clogged, while others need to be replaced. You must ensure that your gas heating systems can breathe because this will give them a better chance of working correctly.
Conduct regular maintenance on your gas heating system
Maintenance is crucial to gas heater safety, especially if using any of the older models. Inspections by professionals will ensure that your heating system works properly or detect any problem before it constitutes a more significant threat.
More significant issues are often traced to minor problems that go unchecked for an extended period. Conducting a regular maintenance schedule on your gas heating system can prevent this from happening.
Apart from keeping your unit working properly, routine maintenance of your gas heating system will help you to enjoy lower utility bills, and you will also be able to enjoy fewer emergency repairs.
Gas Heating System Warning Signs
Knowing some essential gas heating safety tips is good, but you must also know some red flags. If you see any of the following warning signs, you should get your gas heating equipment inspected by a qualified HVAC technician.
Streaks of yellow, orange, or green in your furnace flame
When your gas heater works appropriately, it should produce a clear, blue flame. It is also alright if it has some yellow colouration at the tips. However, if you notice green, orange, or yellow streaks in the flame, this signals a problem.
When there is an off-colour flame, it is an indication that the heater's ratio of natural gas to oxygen is off. Although you use a gas furnace, the system uses oxygen and natural gas in combustion. When there is too much gas or insufficient oxygen, the gas mixture will not burn with a clean flame.
When this happens, your furnace will not be as hot as it should be, eventually costing you more money. The furnace will produce more carbon monoxide and soot. Dirty burners may be responsible for this or a bigger problem, but whatever the case may be, you should hire a professional to look at it for you.
Persistent burning smell
It may be nothing to worry about if you perceive a burning smell from your furnace during the fall or winter. This may be due to the dust that gathered on the furnace burning off. However, if the burning smell persists, something is wrong that needs the attention of a qualified technician.
Consult a Professional About Your Gas Heater Problem
Taking measures for gas heater safety in your home is very important. You should contact a licensed HVAC technician when you notice anything strange about the equipment. Doing this one step early enough can prevent unnecessary costs in terms of repairs and also prevent a massive disaster from happening.
