Heating And AC Repair: How To Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning | Dallas, TX
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When temperatures start dropping in the winter, you’ll most likely run your heating systems for several hours. In return, this also increases the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless gas produced by burning fossil fuels. It can lead to sudden illnesses and even death. Thankfully, it’s entirely preventable. Read this article to learn how to protect your family and yourself against carbon monoxide poisoning by knowing the symptoms and how you can prevent it. Also, please reach out to one of our heating and AC repair technicians in Dallas, TX, if you need help with your heating systems.
Where is carbon monoxide found?
Carbon monoxide is usually found in fumes produced by your heating systems like furnaces, stoves, gas ranges, heaters, and portable generators. It’s essential to have proper ventilation as CO can build up in partially or totally enclosed places.
What happens when carbon monoxide enters your body?
When carbon monoxide is breathed in, the odorless gas enters the bloodstream and mixes with red blood cells that carry oxygen to the organs. If there’s carbon monoxide present, the blood is no longer able to take the oxygen, leading to the tissues and cells failing. If you suspect someone might have breathed in carbon monoxide, please get help immediately. Call 911 right away. And before using the appliances again, please contact a heating and AC repair technician to help you maintain your heating system. You need to ensure that your furnace is in excellent shape to avoid further injuries and carbon monoxide poisoning.
What are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning?
When you see the signs below, please call 911 right away:
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea
- Chest pain
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Feeling weak
Evacuate your home immediately and then call 911 for assistance. Get in touch with a heating and AC repair technician in Dallas, TX, too so that our team can thoroughly inspect your heating system and help you resolve the gas leak.
Causes of CO Leaks
CO is produced when gas, coal, oil, and wood don’t fully burn. Cigarette smoke and burning charcoal can also produce carbon monoxide. Appliances such as boilers, central heating systems, water heaters, and cookers can also make this harmful gas.
One of the most common causes of carbon monoxide leaks is poorly maintained and incorrectly installed appliances such as furnaces and water heaters. In addition, poor ventilation can make matters worse. This is why we recommend that homeowners only hire licensed heating and AC repair technicians to help you install and maintain your unit. In addition to inefficiency issues and frequent repairs caused by poor installation, it can also lead to carbon monoxide leaks. Don’t hire unlicensed technicians, for they may not have enough experience to install and service your appliances. You hire qualified technicians only for safety purposes.
Other possible causes include:
Blocked chimneys – When your chimneys are blocked, carbon monoxide doesn’t escape your home, allowing it to reach extreme and dangerous levels.
Smoking shisha indoors – Because the pipes burn charcoal, it may lead to a buildup of carbon monoxide in places with poor ventilation.
Blocked exhausts – Please make sure that your exhaust fans are not blocked as that could also lead to a buildup of carbon monoxide.
If you have a heating system, please ensure that you reach out to a heating and AC repair technician in Dallas, TX, for an inspection and annual tune-up. Never skip the tune-up for your safety. Also, if you think something may be up with your system, please don’t postpone any repairs or inspections. Get in touch with a heating and AC repair technician immediately. The sooner you get help, the sooner you can resolve the problem. It also avoids accidents associated with carbon monoxide poisoning.
Signs of a Carbon Monoxide Leak in Your HVAC System
When it comes to installation, tune-up and repair, always hire a licensed technician to ensure that the service is properly carried out. Otherwise, it could lead to even bigger problems, such as having a faulty boiler or furnace. If some components of your heating system are compromised, it could lead to a carbon monoxide leak. Please contact a heating and AC repair technician immediately for assistance. But do it after opening all windows for proper ventilation.
Below are some of the other signs there might be a carbon monoxide leak:
- Cracks in the exhaust pipes and combustion chamber
- Older furnaces that are damaged
- Leaky boilers and furnaces
- Yellow flame coming from the furnace
- Faulty pilot light
- Smelly or stale air
If you suspect there might be a carbon monoxide leak, please get help immediately. Don’t wait for an emergency; contact One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating for you and your family’s safety.
Preventing CO Poisoning
Carbon monoxide poisoning is extremely dangerous, but there are ways to prevent carbon monoxide leaks in your home.
Check Batteries
Always check the batteries of your carbon monoxide detector every six months. If you think there might be issues with it, contact a heating and AC repair technician for assistance. Also, we recommend that you get a battery-powered detector and a backup, just in case.
Annual Tune-up
Every year, please make sure that you get in touch with a heating and AC repair service technician and have your heating systems serviced. A trusted technician can spot potential problems before they become a major emergency. Please don’t skip an annual tune-up and do it at least a month before winter. It’s the only way to ensure that your HVAC system is running efficiently and there are no issues that need to be addressed. Also, please make sure to only hire qualified technicians in Dallas, TX, to service your HVAC. Inexperienced and unlicensed technicians may cut corners and may not be able to service your system correctly. Please contact One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating today to avoid accidents and costly repairs.
Clean the Vents
As much as possible, please clean the vents and make them free from dirt and debris. Blocked vents don’t just affect the efficiency of your heating system and lead to costly heating and AC repairs for your home it can also block ventilation lines. And you need good ventilation to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
Check both the supply registers and the return registers for proper airflow. Also, if there are unused rooms in your home, we recommend that you don’t close the vents as that may lead to a cracked heat exchanger, and that’s one of the causes of carbon monoxide leaks. Also, it increases your chances of leaks in the ductwork and also mold growth. It can also affect the efficiency of your heating system — it will work harder, consuming more energy. Eventually, you’ll also end up paying for costly repairs.
If you’re having issues with the vents, please don’t hesitate to contact us today so we can check them for you. We’ll ensure that they are free of any dirt and debris that can affect ventilation.
Don’t Run a Gasoline-Powered Engine in an Enclosed Structure
Please avoid running any gasoline-powered appliance or portable heaters when you’re in the garage, basement, or other enclosed areas, as that increases the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Even if the windows are open, we recommend that you don’t run them for your safety.
Also, don’t run these types of appliances when you’re near an exhaust fan, as that may vent into enclosed areas in your home.
If you have questions about your heating systems and how you can prevent carbon monoxide, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our heating and AC repair service technician in Dallas, TX.
Install COC Detector and Alarms
If you have a gas-powered appliance at home, we recommend installing carbon monoxide detectors so that you are alerted when there are carbon monoxide leaks in your home. Having a CO detector and alarm is crucial because carbon monoxide is poisonous. For safety, get in touch with a heating and AC repair technician in Dallas, TX, today to help you install your CO detectors and alarms.
As soon as you have the detector installed, it’s essential that you also test it to make sure it actually works. Also, please test the alarm once or twice a month for safety purposes. Contact one of our heating and AC repair technician if you need help with testing your CO detector.
Avoid Using a Gas Oven for Heating Your Home
If you have an HVAC system, use that to heat your home, not your gas oven. Remember, an unattended gas oven could lead to problems such as an explosion. You should only use it when you’re baking.
Be Careful With Space Heaters
If you intend to use space heaters that burn fuel, please ensure that you don’t leave them unattended. Ensure that there are no materials close to the unit. Switch to your HVAC system before going to bed to avoid accidents due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Most importantly, use space heaters only when the area is well ventilated.
Benefits of Installing Carbon Monoxide Detectors
If you have gas furnaces and other gas-powered appliances, please contact a heating and AC repair technician today for carbon monoxide detector installation.
CO detectors can provide you with early warning signs, which should give you enough time to vacate your home and call the right people to help you alleviate the problem. The detector will set off an alarm loud enough for everyone to hear, and you’ll have a lot of time to get help and vacate the premises.
With you hear the alarm, the carbon monoxide leak is still not at dangerous levels, which means that no one in your family will feel the symptoms as you’ll have enough time to go out of your home and contact a heating and AC repair technician for help.
If you’re not home, the detector will still alert you so that you are prepared, and you can call qualified professionals to help you resolve the problem.
Do you already have a carbon monoxide detector at home? If not, then please get in touch with us today so we can help you choose the best CO detector that you can install for your home. Don’t worry; our technicians are not just experienced and skilled, we’re also knowledgeable about CO detectors. We can help you properly install them. Most importantly, our team of professionals can help you properly maintain your heating systems and avoid carbon monoxide leaks and poisoning. Call us, and we’ll quickly dispatch a technician to your home or business.
Contact One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Dallas
Carbon monoxide poisoning can be extremely dangerous and deadly. You must avoid it the best way you can. We’ve already talked about the causes of carbon monoxide and what happens when they enter the bloodstream. We’ve also talked about preventing carbon monoxide poisoning at home, and one of the suggestions was to hire a reliable and trusted heating and AC repair technician for installation and tune-up. Our team of experienced and skilled technicians will never cut corners because we understand the importance of having properly installed and well-maintained heating systems. Our priority is always the safety of our clients, which is why we strive to always exceed expectations on every appointment. Our technicians work hard to ensure that you get exceptional services every time.
Do you need heating and AC repair for your home in Dallas, TX? Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us today! Rest assured, your heating system will be in excellent shape. We’ll also make sure that repairs and tune-ups are properly taken care of so that your home is always safe and comfortable. If you need heating and AC repair service today, get in touch with us at One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Dallas for an appointment.