7 Furnace Safety Tips

You rely on your furnace to keep your family comfortable during the cold Colorado winter months. But if you’re not careful and you neglect furnace maintenance, this is an appliance that can cause some safety issues in your home.

Here are 7 important furnace safety tips so that you can continue using your furnace without putting your family at risk.

1. Keep Your Vents Clear

Gas furnaces rely on vents to keep fresh air circulating through your home. If too many of those vents are blocked, it could create a situation in which fresh air can’t circulate, and carbon monoxide builds up in your home.

To avoid this issue, make sure that at least 80% of your vents are open and unblocked whenever your furnace is in use.

2. Don’t Ignore Strange Smells

It’s also very important not to ignore strange smells when your furnace is turned on. If you smell burning, fire, or gas, turn your furnace off, open up some windows, and evacuate the home immediately.

You’ll want to call a professional as soon as possible to have them come check out your issue and confirm that it’s safe for your family to re-enter the home before you do so.

3. Keep the Area Around Your Furnace Clear

Furnaces can get very hot – especially older models that aren’t as energy-efficient as newer ones. If you’ve got things like drapes, pet bedding, and other flammable objects near your furnace, they could catch fire.

Plus, you don’t want a child or pet to inadvertently touch the extremely hot surface of the furnace when it’s in use. That’s why it’s key to keep the area around your furnace clear.

4. Clean the Furnace at the Start of the Season

If it’s been several months since you’ve used your furnace, you’ll want to clean it before turning it on for the first time. Doing so will help to prevent fires and keep dust and allergens at bay.

You can wipe down the furnace with a damp cloth and use a vacuum to clean the inside of the furnace.

5. Change Your Furnace Filter Regularly

It’s also important to get into the habit of changing out your furnace filter regularly. If you don’t, dirt, dust, and pollen will get soaked up into your filter and then redistribute throughout your home each time you turn the furnace on.

That could be dangerous for family members who struggle with allergies, asthma, and other conditions.

6. Check Your Carbon Monoxide Detector’s Batteries

Gas furnaces create small levels of carbon monoxide each time you turn them on. When the appliance is working properly, this isn’t a problem. But sometimes, issues can arise in which excessive amounts of carbon monoxide pool up in your home without you realizing anything is wrong.

That’s why it’s always important to ensure that your carbon monoxide detector’s batteries are working properly. Get into the habit of checking these every month or so just to be safe.

7. Get Regular Inspections

Finally, if you truly want to make sure that your furnace is safe and efficient at all times, then having regular inspections performed by trained professionals is a must. If you’re located in the Denver area, ABE Heating and Cooling can help.

We are located in Brighton, Colorado, and serve the entire Denver Metro Area. We’ll come out to inspect your furnace and fix any problems we find so that it’s always safe for you and your family to enjoy.

Get in touch to learn more about how we can help.