How to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Issues Caused by Your HVAC Unit

Carbon monoxide is known as the silent killer because it has no smell, taste, or color. Therefore, it can kill without warning. As a matter of fact, carbon monoxide poisoning is one of the leading causes of unintentional poisoning deaths.

Carbon monoxide leaks are often caused by faulty heating systems and ventilation problems. The HVAC safety tips below will help you prevent these deadly leaks from occurring.

Check Your Vents

Blocked vents prevent the heat from your furnace from blowing out effectively. Moving furniture around could block your vents. Or, maybe you intentionally close the vents in unused rooms to try to save money. Unfortunately, closed vents can do your home — and your family — more harm than you realize. They can result in:

• Duct leakage

• Low airflow, which could lead to comfort problems

• A cracked heat exchanger, which can let carbon monoxide infiltrate your home

Check the heating vents around your home to ensure nothing is blocking them.

Schedule Regular Maintenance

At least once a year, ideally before winter sets in, you should have your furnace, fireplace, vents, and chimneys inspected by a professional. The fumes from a furnace that isn't working properly could leak into your home. Dust and debris can collect in your vents over time and clog them. Clogged vents and chimney flues can result in carbon monoxide leaking into your home.

During maintenance, the professional will check for proper operation and safety and clean your heating system. He or she will spot potential problems before they become bigger and cause carbon monoxide problems.

Have the Heat Exchanger Inspected

The heat exchanger vents out the poisonous gases produced by heat combustion. Carbon monoxide can make its way through your home's ventilation system if the heat exchanger develops holes, cracks, or corrosion.

Verify that your HVAC technician has inspected the heat exchanger during a routine maintenance visit. That's because many visits usually don't include a heat exchanger inspection.

Taking the precautions above will save you money on energy costs in addition to protecting your family from carbon monoxide poisoning. Contact us at Air Assurance if you need expert heating services for your Broken Arrow home.

Tips to Achieve Fireplace Safety in Your Home

Fireplaces and chimneys account for more than a third of home fires involving heating equipment, which makes it critical for you to learn how to keep your fireplace burning correctly and safely. Here are some essential guidelines to ensure fireplace safety.

1. To minimize the buildup of creosote and soot, use dry, well-seasoned wood that's been cut to the right length.

2. Before starting a fire, open the fireplace damper. You may have to use a flashlight or a mirror to look into the chimney to verify that it's open. Keep it open until the fire has been completely extinguished.

3. Avoid overloading the fireplace. A slow, steady burn is safer than a roaring fire. Large fires generate more smoke and can crack your chimney.

4. Don't position newspapers, Christmas trees, furniture, books, and any other flammable object close to the fireplace. In case embers are thrown into the room, you'll want to be sure there's nothing nearby that can catch fire.

5. Never leave a burning fireplace unattended. That implies you should never leave your home or go to sleep while a fire is blazing away.

6. Have a trained chimney sweep inspect and remove obstructions like creosote from your chimney before the cold months set in. Creosote buildup can ignite abruptly and cause a chimney fire.

7. Inspect the chimney cap regularly to make sure it's securely attached. If you don't have one, be sure to have one installed to prevent animals or debris from entering your chimney and increase your home's fireplace safety.

8. Carbon monoxide detectors and smoke alarms are a must-have for fireplace safety. Install and maintain them on every level of your home and outside every sleeping area. Interconnect them so that when one alarm sounds, all the others sound as well.

9. Even a single spark could cause a home fire, so you should always have a fire extinguisher close to the fireplace to augment fireplace safety.

These fireplace safety rules will help you keep your family and home comfortable and safe this winter. For all your heating and cooling needs in the Broken Arrow area, don't hesitate to contact the professionals at Air Assurance.

Is There Enough Ventilation in Your Attic?

Homeowners seldom understand the importance of attic ventilation. Attic ventilation has to do with that metal contraption on your roof and those vents underneath the soffits on the eaves. Perhaps you've never really been sure how attic ventilation works or why you should care. First, attic ventilation has a a big effect on your utility bill. Second, it can also help prevent roof damage. Let's have a look at how this happens. 

Why You Need Attic Ventilation

It may not make much sense at first glance, but air should flow freely through your attic to let out excess heat. This heat builds up in summer as warm air rises to the ceiling and migrates into the attic while you're cooling your home. By allowing fresh air to flow through the intake vents located at the lowest level of the eaves, it pushes warm air up through the exhaust vents at the peak of the roof. 

Removing warm air in the winter is also helpful in preventing ice dams. These form on the edge of the roof when the warm air in the attic melts snow and ice on the roof during the daytime and the moisture freezes overnight along the edge. Ice dams can damage the roof over time. 

Exhaust Vents

Exhaust vents are usually one of two kinds: ridge vents, which are elongated and run the length of the ridge at the peak of the roof, or static vents, which stand up from the roof line and have covers to keep out precipitation. Turbine vents are a type of static vent that operates as wind blows on an enclosed fan. A light breeze rotates the blades, which sucks out heat from the attic.

Powered exhaust vents, as opposed to the passive vents described above, also boost attic ventilation. These electric- or solar-powered fans turn on when the attic temperature reaches a certain level, and they run until the temperature drops. These effectively pull out heat, but they may also pull out air conditioning through cracks.

To learn more about attic ventilation, contact Air Assurance, serving the Broken Arrow area.

HVAC Safety Hazards to Watch Out For

Any mechanical or electrical appliance carries a risk of certain hazards involved with their use or maintenance, and your HVAC system is no exception. So what HVAC safety hazards should you be alert for when you use or maintain your air conditioning and heating system?

Four Hazards Associated with Your HVAC System

1. Electrical. Most electrical hazards involving your HVAC system have to do with wiring. While you're unlikely to be accessing electrical wires within your HVAC system, you might have a look at the thermostat wires to see if they are frayed or loose. Throw the breaker to the thermostat to cut the power if you plan to tighten the wires or replace them.

2. Refrigerant. Chances are, you're not charging your own air conditioner's refrigerant. That's good, because only licensed professionals are authorized to handle refrigerant. However, if you have a leak of R-22 in your older system and you have some on hand, you may be tempted to charge it yourself. Spilling this substance on you will result not in a chemical burn but rather a painful frostbite. Always call a licensed HVAC professional to fill refrigerant; if there is a leak, the technician needs to find it and fix it.

3. Carbon monoxide leaks. The furnace's heat exchanger can crack and leak carbon monoxide (CO), a deadly gas. That's why it's important to have your HVAC tech check the furnace every year. Fumes can also leak from the flue pipes or the chimney. CO buildup can also occur due to a dirty air filter, which can cause airflow to back up to the furnace. Install a CO detector and test it regularly.

4. Mold. Mold isn't a common problem in HVAC systems, but it can happen. For sensitive individuals, breathing mold spores can be sickening. Mold usually occurs due to excess moisture. Common reasons for moisture buildup include a dirty air filter, a clogged condensate drain, leaking ductwork, and dirty evaporator coils. You may suspect mold is present if you smell a musty, damp odor from the HVAC air.

For more on HVAC safety hazards, contact Air Assurance of Broken Arrow, providing quality HVAC repairs, installations, and maintenance.

How to Babyproof Your Home and HVAC

Your home’s HVAC system is an important item to add to your babyproofing list. This equipment can cause injuries to curious children who get too close. Even if your baby is a newborn, it’s never too early to start making your Broken Arrow home safer with the following HVAC system babyproofing tips.

Check Your Metal Vents and Registers

The metal vents and registers around your home can be hazardous to kids due to their edges. Children can get cut on these edges if they come loose from the floor or wall. Check each metal vent and register in your home to see if any are loose, and secure them to the wall or floor. If you want to avoid having to worry about these metal edges, you can switch to plastic vents and registers instead. Plastic ones are easy to secure and don’t have any sharp parts.

Put Screens in Registers and Vents

Young kids can sometimes lose toys that fall through vent and register slats, but there’s an easy way to prevent this. Cut out a piece of vinyl window screening that matches the size of the register or vent, and attach it beneath the cover. This screening will catch any objects that fall into your registers and vents, so that they’re easy to retrieve. This will also prevent your child from getting fingers stuck in the slats trying to reach toys that fall in.

Enclose Your HVAC’s Outdoor Unit

The outdoor unit of an HVAC system is among the biggest dangers for children. These units have wiring, blades that move when the system is running, and metal pieces with sharp edges. It’s important to make sure that your child isn’t able to access this outdoor unit at all. You can do this by putting up a fence all around your outdoor unit. This allows you to easily access it if needed while also keeping your child from being able to get near it.

If you’re looking for help with HVAC system babyproofing your home in the Broken Arrow area, please contact Air Assurance.

AC Dangers: What You Should Never Do

Your HVAC is a sturdy piece of machinery, and is designed to withstand a lot of heavy use over the years. But it also should be handled with care, as certain practices will result in damage and expensive breakdowns. Some malfunctions that can occur with your HVAC can also lead to damage to your home, or danger to its occupants. Read on and learn about A/C dangers.

1. Neglect changing the air filter.

A dirty air filter will slow down air flow so that your system cannot cool properly. You will use more energy, and you may eventually cause a breakdown. Further, a dirty filter will not effectively filter the air going into your system, so that parts may become dirty (thus, burning hotter and causing friction), and also so that air won't be properly cleaned.

2. Turn the thermostat down so the A/C runs continuously.

This practice will put a lot of stress on your system, so that parts break down and you will need to do more frequent repairs.

3. Close off dampers in rooms.

Some homeowners think this practice saves money on energy by not air conditioning rooms, when in fact it creates negative pressure and makes the air conditioner run inefficiently. It can also stress the equipment so that you have more frequent breakdowns.

4. Open windows while the A/C is running.

Central air conditioners are designed to run with all windows and doors closed, and the home should be air sealed for maximum efficiency. Otherwise, you'll be wasting energy and causing the A/C to work harder than it should.

5. Neglect frayed electric wiring.

Always have your HVAC tech check the wiring during preventative maintenance visits. If frayed or old, it should be replaced, as bad wires can result in fires.

6. Neglect a plugged condensate drain.

When these drains get clogged (and they always do eventually), flooding in the home can result.

For more on A/C dangers, or to schedule maintenance, repairs or equipment installations, contact Air Assurance of Broken Arrow.

Insulation Costs - Winter Attic Safety and Savings

Tulsa Insulation Costs

Getting your attic sealed and insulated can boost your family's comfort and help you save energy both winter and summer. In our climate, temperatures in an unfinished attic can climb too high for safety many months of the year, so winter is the ideal time to have more insulating R-value added. Attic safety should still be a primary concern even when there's less risk of heat exhaustion and dehydration, so be sure to take these steps before you or a hired pro begin insulating:

Always Wear Protective Gear

Your attic can contain all sorts of injury hazards, so anyone going up there to work needs to wear proper protective gear. This means durable clothing that fully covers the arms and legs, and head protection such as a sturdy hat or helmet. Gloves and safety goggles to protect hands and eyes are needed too, and a respirator to prevent inhalation of insulation fibers.

Set Up Walking Paths

Creating walkways in your attic can make it safer and easier to access areas that need sealing and insulating. First, move any obstacles so you have clear paths to different areas, then lay down 1x4 boards to form a one-foot wide walkway. To keep the boards from slipping and wobbling, screw or nail the ends of each one to the attic floor joists.

Prevent Accidental Shocks

Do a detailed check of your attic to find any obvious or hidden electrical hazards that may cause shocks or electrocution. Check for loose wiring at floor level, gnawed or damaged wires, and open junction boxes. If you find any problems, have them fixed by an electrician before you insulate.

Light Up the Space

Good visibility is paramount for safely working in an attic. If yours only has one or two single-bulb lights, one option is to have your electrician install more. Alternately, you can put a couple of appropriately-rated extension cords and movable work-lights up there so there's plenty of illumination to safely air seal and insulate the entire attic.

For more advice about attic safety in your Broken Arrow home, contact us today at Air Assurance.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273.

Decoration Storage Do's and Don't's

Most homeowners have a collection of treasured decorations that help make the holiday season more festive. You may not realize it, but there's a direct correlation between protecting your decorations while they're in storage and keeping your home and family safe from harm. Here are some decoration storage do's and don't's that can help you accomplish both:

Don't Assume That Decorations Aren't Dangerous

You might mistakenly think you only have to worry about hazards like frayed electric holiday lights or placing a tree too close to your fireplace when your decorations are in use. However, some stored decorations can add fuel to a fire or produce noxious fumes when they melt, such as:

• Boxes and egg cartons used for ornament storage

• Fabric holiday stockings and tree skirts

• Components of wreaths, garlands and artificial trees

• Holiday candles

• Plastic totes and storage containers

Don't Use the Furnace Room for Decoration Storage

If you have some extra space around your furnace, you might be tempted to use it to store your holiday decorations. The truth is, having any of the above items close to a combustion device like your furnace (or water heater) is a serious safety hazard. Other flammable and combustible items that shouldn't be stored near your furnace are fuels like gasoline, paint and paint thinners, aerosol sprays, cleaning and laundry products, wood products, paper goods, cat litter and fabric/textile materials.

Do Choose a Safe Spot for Storing Decorations

After you've carefully packed up your holiday decorations to keep them safe while in storage, here are some potential storage location where they're unlikely to cause any danger:

• The attic. A well-lit attic can be a good spot to store seasonal holiday decor, just don't include items like paraffin candles that may melt.

• Your garage. A dedicated shelving unit in the garage can make a great location for storing decorations during the off-season.

• A bedroom closet. An empty closet in a seldom-used bedroom can give you easy access to stored boxes of holiday decorations.

To learn more safe decoration storage ideas for your Broken Arrow home, contact us today at Air Assurance.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, us at 918-217-8273.

Yard Maintenance: Outdoor Unit Safety

You probably know that the outdoor component of your air conditioner, the condenser/compressor, is built to be sturdy and withstand the elements. More than likely, you give it little thought, expecting that the strong metal housing that surrounds it is sufficient protection against anything that can happen. Under most circumstances, this would be true. But condensers are damaged more often than you might think -- principally from careless practice during yard maintenance.Read on and learn how to improve your HVAC outdoor unit safety.

Tips for Maintaining Condenser Safety

Maintain a 2-foot clearing around the condenser.

Remove all grass, weeds and shrubbery within a 2-foot area so that the condenser can maintain good air flow. Trim back any overhanging limbs that might fall on the unit during a storm.

Create a weed-free layer of pebble rocks or stones around the concrete base of the condenser.

Add a plastic layer under the rocks or stones to inhibit weed growth. If weeds do take root, don't use a weed whacker to remove them, as these appliances can throw rocks into the fins hard enough to make a hole and even damage the coils. The purpose of the rock or stone bed is to inhibit the growth of weeds or grass around the condenser so that you don't have to mow or whack them, and so that the clippings don't end up in the fins or coils.

Point the mower away from the condenser.

Make sure that grass clippings are blown away from the condenser, as they can clog the fins or coils and affect air flow.

Don't cover the condenser.

Some homeowners cover the condensers to protect them from storms or flying debris, but sometimes, these covers cause more problems than they solve. A covered condenser can make a comfy home for vermin, and also may promote the growth of mold. If you're concerned about hail, it's best to erect a sturdy box or barrier around the unit that allows adequate air flow.

For more on HVAC outdoor unit safety, contact Air Assurance of Broken Arrow.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273.