Are Furnaces Good for Your Health?

The furnace in your home is an intimate piece of equipment. It probably runs all through the winter months. Just the fact that it keeps your home warm and comfortable is a positive health benefit. Without it, you would be quite uncomfortable at the very least, and at the worst, you could become seriously ill.

A furnace that has been in operation for many years can pose certain hazards. An older furnace typically has a pilot light and other components that can be dangerous to your health or personal safety if they are faulty. Possible issues include carbon monoxide poisoning and a higher risk of household fires.

Old Furnaces and Carbon Monoxide

The pilot lights in older furnaces usually have manual controls, and maladjustment can cause carbon monoxide production. Modern homes are built to be fairly airtight, so this gas could build up. The flame of a pilot light should be bright blue with a slight tinge of green and have a yellow tip. If the entire flame looks yellow and weak, it could indicate a problem. Carbon monoxide is colorless, odorless and sometimes fatal. It kills over 200 people in the United States each year. It can also cause headaches, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, and depression.

Old Furnaces and Higher Risk of Fire

Not only is the pilot light on an older furnace possibly faulty, but also the ventilation system is less efficient than a newer one, and the gas line is more likely to have leaks. All of these factors create a higher risk of fire. It is also important for you to know that natural gas, like carbon monoxide, has no taste, odor, smell or color. If it leaks out of your gas line and goes undetected, it could cause an explosion.

Why Should You Replace Your Old Furnace?

As your furnace gets older, its parts become more and more likely to malfunction, and repair costs will increase over time. In addition to this, older furnaces require more fuel to operate than newer furnaces do, so they’re more costly. A newer furnace will save you money in both the short and long term.

Reliable Heating Advice and Assistance

Hoff Heating & AC in O’Fallon offers complete repair, replacement and maintenance services for your furnace and other HVAC equipment. We have NATE-certified technicians, over three decades of hands-on experience and an A+ rating with the BBB. Call us today.