When we come out to your home to tune-up your HVAC system and make sure everything is working correctly, we’ll look for areas that are in need of repairs. One of the furnace repairs in Minneapolis that we dislike finding is a cracked heat exchanger. The cracks can be potentially fatal for the homeowners because they can cause carbon monoxide leaks throughout their homes. Because of this, no matter how small the crack may be, the whole system may need to be replaced. When we tell customers about this, they have a few questions about carbon monoxide. Here are some of the commonly asked questions.

What Is Carbon Monoxide?

Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas. You can’t see it or smell it, but it can quickly kill the people in a home. Without proper ventilation, it will fill a home and poison the people living there.

Why Is It Dangerous?

Carbon monoxide is so dangerous because it’s odorless, colorless, and tasteless. It could be in a home for some time before anyone suspects anything. Most homeowners never suspect a problem before the poisonous gases become fatal.

Who Is Impacted?

Carbon monoxide is poisonous to everyone, but there are a few groups of people who are especially susceptible to the effects of the gas. Those groups include unborn babies, infants, the elderly, people who are anemic, and people with cardiovascular disease. Pets can also be affected quicker than people, so it’s important to keep an eye for any strange behaviors from your pets.

Where Does It Come From?

One of the most common sources for carbon monoxide to find its way into homes is through the central heating system. Another way that carbon monoxide gets into homes is through gas appliances. Since the gas is colorless, it can be difficult to tell when it’s coming from these appliances. The best thing that you can do is stay on top of the maintenance for these things.

How to Prevent It?

The best way to determine whether or not you have carbon monoxide in your home is by purchasing a carbon monoxide detector. If it discovers carbon monoxide in your home, it sends off a loud alarm to tell you to get out of your house right away. Then, you can have professionals come to your home to fix the problem. That way it will be safe to re-enter the premises.

To prevent the problem, it would be best to have your HVAC system serviced on a regular basis. They can catch other issues with your unit that can be fixed before carbon monoxide becomes an issue. It’s also important to have fresh air circulating through your home. Take a look at your ventilation system. You may need to have it updated to ensure that air is circulating through your home properly.

When you’re worried about the presence of carbon monoxide in your home, try opening up some windows. Allow the fresh air to circulate through to ensure that your breathing clean, safe carbon dioxide instead. Then, contact professionals to come to your home and conduct a furnace repair in Minneapolis so you can prevent future issues with carbon monoxide.