Could Your Old Furnace Be Deadly?
Could Your Old Furnace Be Deadly?An old furnace is like an old friend, and like an old friend; you know all of its quirks. You recognize that reassuring hum and know that means everything is running smoothly. You can just as easily detect the telltale sounds that something may be wrong. But problems with your furnace may not be as obvious as you might think. It could be sending up a little more than heat to permeate your home without your ever suspecting. That little "extra" might be a lethal dose of carbon monoxide. This could be happening in the older Chantilly (Fairfax County) or newer South Riding, Ashburn, Leesburg, and Brambleton (Loudoun County) properties.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas, produced by incomplete burning of carbon-based fuels like oil. When it gets into the body, the carbon monoxide combines with chemicals in the blood and prevents the blood from delivering oxygen to cells, tissues and organs.
These body parts need oxygen to function; so prolonged exposure to carbon monoxide can cause serious health effects. After only a limited exposure, you and your family can get severe headaches, experience shortness of breath, become dizzy, mentally confused, nauseated, or feel faint. Long-term exposure can be fatal or at a minimum lead to chronic health problems. Since many of these symptoms are similar to those of the flu, you may not suspect that carbon monoxide poisoning is the cause.
What can you do to protect yourself? The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) urges consumers to have a professional inspection of all fuel-burning heating systems, including furnaces, boilers, fireplaces, water heaters, and space heaters. Your oil or gas supplier should perform this service on a yearly basis as part of your maintenance contract. If you do not have a maintenance contract, find a heating professional licensed to do this type inspection in your local telephone directory.
When they perform the inspection, ensure that they complete the following:
Check all furnace safety and operating controls for proper operation.
Check the vent for adequate draft.
Inspect combustion chambers and heat exchangers to see that they are functioning correctly.
Oil the motors, if applicable.
Inspect fan belts for wear and tension and replace them if necessary.
Examine the pilot light, if applicable.
Inspect furnace filters and change them as needed.
Check for leaks and repair them immediately.
The CPSC also recommends that the inspection include checking chimneys, flues and vents for leakage or blockage by debris, and to make sure that they are not loose or disconnected. Birds and other animals can build nests in chimneys resulting in blockages that cause deadly exhaust to enter your home.
To be safe, every home should have a carbon monoxide alarm in the hallway near bedrooms. The CPSC recommends that your alarm meet one of these standards: Canadian Standards Association 6.19-01, 2001; Underwriters Laboratories Inc. 2034, Second Edition, October 1998; or the International Approval Services 6-96, Second Edition, June 1, 1998. It's also a good idea to check the batteries in your alarm monthly and to replace them twice a year when you change your clocks in the spring and fall.
Labels: Ashburn homeowners insurance, Ashburn Property Insurance, Fairfax Homeowners insurance, Fairfax Property Insurance, South Riding homeowners insurance, South-Riding property insurance
posted by Khalid Umerani @ 1:23 PM
NOVA Insurance (20152) Group - Loudoun Insurance
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