Combustion Safety For Your Furnace In New York

Owning a furnace or boiler heating system in New York means that a certain amount of responsibility comes with it. Combustion safety is an important aspect of keeping your home and community safe from fires and explosions.

As a homeowner, there are things you need to know about your furnace, boiler, fireplace, gas oven, gas water heater, gas dryer, or other gas fueled appliances.

Gas appliances have to be properly ventilated to ensure the right amount of pressure to release gases such as carbon monoxide to the outdoors. Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that is a by-product of combustion.

Most of your appliances will be vented to the outdoors to carry exhaust gases from the home. The differences in temperature between the flue gas and outside air along with the indoor air pressure and height of the chimney influence the draft. The draft is the direction in which the gases flow.

In older or drafty homes, gas appliances don’t have as much of a problem with adequate ventilation. In newer homes, there is less ventilation which can cause negative pressure and unbalanced air flows.

If there’s a problem with pressure, back drafting can occur. Backdrafting is the reverse flow of gases back into the home. This is a potentially fatal hazard. Not only are the gases dangerous to breathe, but explosions can ignite if enough of the gases have built up in a tight home.

Combustion Safety Tests For Proper Ventilation

A combustion safety test can be done by local New York HVAC Contractors at Clover Comfort. The technician will test the home for the presence of toxic gases as well as perform other testing procedures such as:

• Testing inside and outside the home in the combustion appliance zone
• Test for mechanical negative pressure
• Test duct tightness for leaks
• Check interior clearances for appliances with draft hoods
• Check exterior clearances for exit terminals of mechanical draft & direct vent
• Test pressure, draft, clearance, and ventilation on gas appliances
• Test chimney flue, draft, dampers, draft hoods, and pipes

Low-Level CO Monitoring Systems

Low level carbon monoxide monitors can be installed in your home to continually monitor and alarm occupants when dangerous levels are detected. These systems will let you know there’s a problem prior to it becoming dangerous for you and your family.

Don’t trust store-bought CO monitors as they only alarm if the level is 70 ppm or higher after 3.5 hours or so. By then it can be too late. Low-level carbon monoxide monitors can detect levels as low as 30 ppm. With testing and low level CO monitoring systems, you’ll know your gas appliances are working as they should and your home is safe.