As temperatures finally start to drop in Savannah, many of us are turning to our trusty gas furnaces to keep our houses and families warm throughout the season. Although gas furnaces are designed to work safely and efficiently in homes, accidents can still occur that can cause fires, carbon monoxide leaks, and more. To avoid these accidents and make sure your family stays comfortable and safe, here are five gas furnace safety tips to follow as you fire up the furnace this winter.
1. Check or install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
If your gas furnace does happen to cause a fire or carbon monoxide leak, your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors will likely be your first alert that you need to take action. Carbon monoxide is especially dangerous, because it is a colorless, odorless gas, so one of the only ways to know if your experiencing a leak is from your detector. Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors should be installed on every floor of the house, and before you start using your furnace, you should test each one to make sure they are working properly and have new batteries.
2. Get to know your gas furnace
Simply getting to know how your furnace operates is one of the most important steps you can take towards keeping your home safe. Before you turn on your furnace for the first time this season, make sure that you know exactly how to cut your house’s gas supply using the shutoff valve. This way, if you suspect something might be wrong, you can immediately shut off the furnace to avoid any malfunctions. Knowing the ins and outs of your gas furnace will also give you a better chance of noticing that something is off before it causing a problem.
3. Change the filters
It’s always important to remember to change your filters, but it is especially crucial during the winter months. When your air filter has dust build up, your furnace is going to have to work harder to push air through the filter. When this happens, your furnace could overheat and lead to cracks, carbon monoxide leaks, and more. This season, be sure to change your air filter once a month to keep your furnace running safely and efficiently. If you have pets, you may want to change your filters more often because of pet hair build up.
4. Clear the clutter
An easy way to minimize the risk of a fire is by keeping the area around your furnace free from clutter. From toys to old boxes, it’s easy for our furnace room to end up as a storage room, but it is necessary to find new places for these items when you start to use your furnace during the winter. Also, be sure to check twice for any flammable items such as loose paper, cleaning products, paint, rags, and more that would need to be moved far from your gas furnace.
5. Call Canady’s for maintenance or if you suspect any problems
If you own a gas furnace, do not let regular tune-ups slip your mind. Our heating experts at Canady’s Heating, Air & Plumbing can perform maintenance on your gas furnace to make sure that everything is running smoothly. If you suspect that something is wrong with your furnace, we are also here to perform repairs to make sure you and your family stay safe and warm all winter long. If you are interested in maintenance or repairs for your heating system, schedule an appointment with Canady’s by contacting us here.