Safety · Furnaces
Carbon monoxide checks your furnace tech should perform
Carbon monoxide (CO) is colourless and odourless. Your first line of defence is a CO alarm on every level — but professional furnace service should also verify venting integrity, combustion quality, and heat exchanger condition. This article is educational, not a substitute for in-person service.
Venting and draft
Our technicians inspect vent pipes for slope, support, corrosion, and separation. Induced-draft furnaces rely on precise sequences; a cracked collector box or displaced gasket can change draft enough to matter. We confirm the flue path matches manufacturer instructions after any roof or siding work.
Combustion analysis
Where appropriate, electronic combustion analysis measures oxygen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide in flue gas. Numbers out of range can indicate dirty burners, incorrect gas pressure, or cracked heat exchangers — each with different remedies. Snap judgments from flame colour alone are not enough for modern equipment.
Heat exchanger inspection
Visual and camera-assisted inspection looks for cracks, rust trails, and hot spots that suggest metal fatigue. If we find a failure that risks CO entry to supply air, we follow red-tag protocols: shut down unsafe equipment and explain options clearly.
What you can do today
- Replace CO alarm batteries and note expiry dates printed on the unit.
- Never cover utility room louvres that supply combustion air.
- If anyone has headaches, nausea, or confusion when the heat runs, leave the home and call emergency services — then us.