Is Your Heating System Safe?
Monday, October 19th, 2009 | Uncategorized
Were you ready for the cold weather this past weekend? The temperatures were the lowest we have seen them in months and I am sure I am not the only person that turned their heater on for the first time this year. The first time you turn it on, you might get a slight haze and a very light white smoke, and that burning smell of dust burning off the unit. This is normal. If you furnace starts to shake and black smoke comes out of the vents, turn off the unit immediately and leave the house.
People who use their stoves as a heat source are literally playing with fire, because it won’t put out enough heat and then there is the danger of the open flame. You need to remember that a gas range stove is a carbon monoxide producer, and if it’s not venting outside, it’s venting in your home.
Caution should be used with space heaters. Space heaters should always be unplugged when not in use, and they should only be plugged into a wall outlet. What happens is people use an inexpensive extension chord that heats up extraordinarily hot. If it touches a couch or drapes or something like that, it catches the item on fire. People have died because of this.
While you can do light maintenance on your furnace it’s always a good idea to get your system checked by a professional. That’s because over time, the heat exchanger inside the furnace can develop a crack and that could allow carbon monoxide to enter you home. Rocky Top Air has trained technicians that can check your system and make the necessary repairs needed to keep you and your family safe and warm for the winter.
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