Autumn's grip will soon be upon us and homeowners should think about preparing their home furnace heating systems for safe operation to avoid fires and carbon monoxide build up.
There are hundreds of houses fires each year in Canada related to heating systems, according to studies done by fire safety officials.
Last year, heating equipment was involved in an estimated 480 home fire fatalities. While these numbers are far too high, they do represent a decrease from previous years, according to the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Group.
While all heating sources carry some risks, a properly installed and maintained furnace is one of the safest ways to heat your home. Have a heating contractor perform a yearly maintenance check-up of your furnace and venting system to ensure efficient, safe operation, the CSA advises. Adjustments, cleaning of burners, replacement of parts, repairs, and inspections of venting are jobs for licensed professionals. Your local utility company can provide information on who is qualified to do this in your community.
An improperly maintained furnace, in addition to being a fire hazard, is also a carbon monoxide (CO) hazard. CO is a deadly, odourless, colourless gas that results in severe illness and can lead to death. Symptoms include headaches, dizziness, and drowsiness, pain in the ears or seeing spots. If you or members of your household begin exhibiting these symptoms, open the windows and exit the household immediately and phone 9-1-1.
CSA International offers the following tips to help you prepare your gas furnace for the heating season:
- Keep warm air registers, return air openings, and space heaters or baseboards clear of furniture, rugs and drapes to allow free air movement.
- Do not store combustible materials such as paper, chemicals, paint, rags and cleaning products near your gas furnace.
- Do not store or use gasoline or other flammable vapors and liquids in the vicinity of your gas furnace.
- Ensure that there is a free flow of air to the furnace. Keep the area immediately around your furnace clear by removing any obstructions.
- Clean or replace your furnace filter frequently during the heating season.?
- Have a qualified heating contractor perform a yearly maintenance check of your furnace and venting system.
Any home that contains combustion appliances such as a gas furnace should have a CSA-certified carbon monoxide alarm installed according to the manufacturer's instructions. If you intend to purchase a new carbon monoxide alarm, be sure to look for one bearing the CSA Certification Flame mark and CSA 6.19-01 reference mark.
