Carbon Monoxide Guide: What You Need to Know

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What To Know About Carbon Monoxide To
Keep Your Larchmont, NY Home Safe

Keep Your Family Healthy With This Comprehensive
Carbon Monoxide Guide

We’ve all heard the horror stories about carbon monoxide leaks – after all, the insidious gas lurking in all our Larchmont, NY HVAC systems. Though carbon monoxide detectors are standard and legally required in homes across New York, several dangerous situations can still occur.

Knowing what to look out for and how the gas works can save you and your family hospital visits and ensure your HVAC system is working correctly. Because of the curious nature of carbon monoxide, many homeowners are left uninformed of its qualities.

At Innovative Air, we want to ensure all our customers are educated on carbon monoxide, what it does, and how to stay safe. 

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What Is Carbon Monoxide?

First, it’s good to know what carbon monoxide is — it’s an odorless, colorless gas, meaning you can’t see or smell it, making it much more dangerous. CO is produced by burning fuel in car engines, gas ovens and stoves, and, more importantly, in furnaces.

When fuel is burned outside, such as that from cars, there isn’t much of a safety hazard. However, when carbon monoxide builds up inside, it can be quite dangerous to those in the space without a way to dissipate.

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How To Avoid Carbon Monoxide Leaks

The best way to avoid any carbon monoxide from leaking into your home is to get your HVAC system, specifically your furnace, professionally inspected yearly. Certified technicians can spot an unusual activity that could lead to leakage.

Carbon monoxide leaks into homes when your furnace’s heat exchanger malfunctions. The heat exchanger is a piece of metal that contracts and expands when the furnace turns on and off. Due to its high use level, the expansions and contractions may cause cracks in the heat exchanger walls over time.

This, in turn, will cause the carbon monoxide to vent improperly, leading to dangerous leaks in your home. Professional technicians will notice any cracks forming and be able to repair them before it’s too late.

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What Are Some Signs Of Carbon Monoxide Leaks?

Since carbon monoxide has no smell or taste, it can be hard to detect its presence. This is why a carbon monoxide detector must be installed and working correctly in your home. Although carbon monoxide does not emit a smell, it’s usually accompanied by gasses that produce odor.

If you smell exhaust, propane, or other noticeable natural gas smells in your home, you might have a leak on your hands. Another indicator is noticing discoloration around the base of your heater in the form of soot colorings like black, brown, or yellow.

Heavy condensation build-up near the furnace is another sign to look out for, as well as noticing the pilot light on your furnace going on. However, the most significant sign is sudden illness without probable cause.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?

The most obvious sign of a carbon monoxide leak may be in your or other family members’ physical state. If there is a carbon monoxide leak, you may potentially feel dizzy, weak, or confused. You may also suffer headaches, stomach aches, vomiting, and chest pain.

The CDC says you may notice “flu-like” symptoms if you’ve been poisoned by carbon monoxide and pass out easily. If you suspect a carbon monoxide leak in your home, it’s best to get to fresh air and an emergency room quickly.

If you don’t feel safe driving yourself, call 911. When it’s safe to do so, call a professional HVAC service company to test your system and repair or replace damaged parts. 

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Things To Do If You Suspect A CO Leak In Your Home

If you notice any of the signs of a carbon monoxide leak before you experience physical systems, it’s imperative to call an HVAC professional as soon as possible. If they do find a leak, you’ll have potentially saved lives and decreased the possibility of severe sickness.

If your technician doesn’t find any leaks, you’ll gain peace of mind. Either way, it’s a win-win. Additionally, your technician should be able to find the actual cause of the problem and address it before it becomes a more significant issue.

An inspection will save you money and energy in the long run. When it comes to carbon monoxide, you can never be too careful.

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If You Suspect A Carbon Monoxide Leak In Your
Larchmont, NY Home, Call The Professionals

At Innovative Air, we always have our Larchmont, NY, customers’ safety and well-being in mind. Yes, we want you to stay comfortable in your home, but more importantly, we want you to stay healthy.

By signing up for our regular maintenance program, you can rest assured that you and your family will be protected from unseen HVAC dangers. Our professionals know exactly what to look for and how to fix it – we’ve been doing it for over 22 years. 

Contact us today for a free estimate on any of your HVAC needs!