If you’re like many homeowners in St. Louis, Ballwin, and Clarkson Valley areas, your furnace uses natural gas to heat your home. When your heating system is installed and operating properly, natural gas is a safe and effective source of heat. However, if a problem develops with your heating system, you could face the threat of a carbon monoxide leak in your home.
How carbon monoxide from your furnace can leak into your home’s air
There are several ways that carbon monoxide leaks can develop in your heating system. A few of the most common include:
- Cracks in your heat exchanger. Inside your heat exchanger, heat from combustion gasses (including carbon monoxide) is absorbed and used to heat your home. If a crack develops on your heat exchanger, CO can leak directly into your home’s air supply.
- Openings in flue pipes and venting systems. The purpose of flue pipes and venting systems is to carry combustion gasses safely out of your home. If cracks or holes develop anywhere on these parts of your heating system, or if connections between them become loose, CO could leak into your home’s air instead of venting to the air outside.
- Furnace is dirty. A dirty furnace can cause your heating system to operate inefficiently, which increases the amount of carbon monoxide your unit produces.
- Inadequate air supply to your furnace. If your furnace is not receiving enough air either because of improper ductwork design or a dirty furnace filter, CO can backdraft into your home and infiltrate your home’s air.
- Incorrect blower installation. Your furnace’s blower is supposed to direct combustion gasses out of your home. If it was installed the wrong way, it could be sending carbon monoxide back into your home’s air supply.
Prevent carbon monoxide leaks from your furnace with annual maintenance
There are many reasons to get an annual furnace tune-up, but the most crucial benefit is that it can keep your family safe from possible carbon monoxide leaks. During a tune-up, your technician will fully inspect your system for CO leaks and fix any issues before they pose a threat to the safety of you and your family.
If you have any questions about preventing carbon monoxide leaks from your furnace, or if you’d like a heating system serviced or installed in your home, contact Jerry Kelly Heating, Air Conditioning, Electrical and Plumbing, your St. Louis heating repair company. We service the St. Louis area and surrounding cities like Town and Country, Weldon Springs, and Winghaven.