Has a CO Leak Been Detected in Your Home? Popular Spots for Detection

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas that is emitted from the incomplete combustion of materials that contain carbon.  According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, approximately 170 people in the U.S. die each year from accidental household carbon monoxide poisoning.  Because the gas is odorless and colorless, it is nearly impossible to detect a home CO leak without a CO detector.  

• Furnaces

A common cause of a home CO leak is a defective gas or oil furnace system. Usually the problem can be traced to a cracked heat exchanger. A professional technician can inspect your furnace to make sure that there are no cracks, holes or blockages impairing your furnace.

• Exhaust systems

A home CO leak can be caused by exhaust from furnaces, fireplaces, water heaters or other fuel-burning appliances not safely venting out of the house. For example, if insects or birds build nests in furnace flues or vents during the off season, it can result in the furnace exhaust, with hazardous gases, being forced back into your home when the system kicks back on in the late fall. The inspector must check your vents, chimneys or flues to ensure that they’re working properly, with no leaks or blockages.

• Attached garages

If you have an attached garage, CO from idling vehicles, lawn equipment and gas-fueled appliances in the garage may find its way into your house through leaks in the common wall and ceiling. This is more likely to happen if the garage has higher air pressure than inside the house. Make sure you seal any air leaks, and avoid idling or running gas-powered vehicles or equipment in the garage. An exhaust fan in the garage is also a good idea.

You can protect yourself against leaking carbon monoxide by purchasing one or more CO detectors.  Place one near your main sleeping area, and if you have more detectors, make sure one is located on each level of your home, as well as near the entry door to the attached garage.

If you want an air conditioning system to stay cool during the hot summer, Energy 1 Heating and Air Conditioning can install the system and also check your home for possible CO leaks. We provide exceptional HVAC services to Lorain, Erie and Cuyahoga counties.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about CO leaks and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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