Carbon Monoxide and Your Furnace
Short answer: gas furnaces, boilers and water heaters can produce carbon monoxide if something goes wrong. Install CO alarms on every level and near bedrooms, keep vents clear and have heating equipment checked every year.
Request an HVAC technicianWhat CO is
A colorless, odorless gas produced when fuel doesn't burn completely.
Symptoms
Headaches, dizziness, nausea and flu-like symptoms that ease when you leave the house.
Alarms
Install CO alarms near bedrooms and on each level, and test them monthly.
If an alarm sounds
Get everyone outside and call 911 or the gas utility.
Vents and chimneys
Blocked or disconnected vents can push CO back inside.
Snow
Keep high-efficiency furnace vents outside clear of snow drifts.
Cracked heat exchangers
An old furnace's heat exchanger can crack; technicians check it during tune-ups.
Generators
Never run a generator in the garage or basement.
Garages
Don't warm up cars in an attached garage.
Yearly checks
A tune-up includes combustion and venting checks.
Older chimneys
Many older Youngstown homes vent furnaces and water heaters into brick chimneys. Liners can deteriorate, and a chimney that has lost its draft can push exhaust back into the basement, so have it checked when equipment changes.
Next
See furnace repair.
More heating and cooling guides
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