Stay Safe: Get Your Furnace Inspected Before Cold Weather Arrives!

Teeth-chattering weather is just about here! We were looking at the 10-day weather forecast for Granbury, Texas and noticed we’re in for a spell of 30-degree temps beginning Tuesday, Nov. 11.

We’ve pulled out our winter gloves, hats and jackets. And our furnace here at Daffan Cooling & Heating is in tip-top shape (would we have it any other way?).

But if you’ve been too busy to get your furnace checked for the winter, please give us a call now! We don’t want you shivering in your home this week, wearing six pairs of socks to keep your feet warm.

Another reason to have your furnace serviced is for safety reasons, of course. A poorly working or defective furnace can release deadly carbon monoxide gases. In addition to getting your furnace checked, this is also the time of year to make sure that you have carbon monoxide and smoke alarms installed and in working order. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has been encouraging Americans to mark the end of Daylight Savings Time (which happened last week) as the time to check these devices.

“Smoke and CO alarms can save lives, but only if you have working alarms,” said CPSC Chairman Elliot F. Kaye. “Make it a tradition, that when you change your clocks for Daylight Saving Time, that you also change your smoke and CO alarm batteries. Working alarms–on every level of your home–can buy your family valuable time to escape from a fire or dangerous level of carbon monoxide.”

Here are several more great winter heating safety tips that we’ve gathered from the CPSC, the U.S. Fire Administration and other useful sources:

• Have your furnace inspected every year by an authorized service technician.
• Install battery-operated or battery back-up CO detectors near every sleeping area.
• Check CO detectors regularly to be sure they are working properly.
• Change your air filter as recommended. A dirty air filter causes the furnace fan motor to work harder. Before turning on the furnace, make sure rugs, carpeting or other coverings are not blocking the floor furnace grill.
• Move all combustibles at least 36 inches away from the furnace.
• Be sure all furnace controls and emergency shutoffs are in proper working condition.
• Inspect the walls and ceiling near the furnace and along the chimney line. If the wall is hot or discolored, additional pipe insulation or clearance may be required.
• Check the flue pipe and pipe seams. Are they well supported, free of holes, and cracks? Soot along or around seams may be an indicator of a leak.