With spring upon us in just a couple of weeks here in Shreveport, LA, you are likely getting ready to shut your furnace off for the season, if you haven\u2019t already done so. Hopefully, you haven\u2019t had any serious problems with your system this winter. However, if you\u2019ve noticed your furnace hasn\u2019t been venting properly, it\u2019s best to take care of this issue now rather than putting it off until the next warming season.<\/p>\n
Gas furnace fumes are moist, so if you notice \u201csweat\u201d on your windows, this is a sign that your furnace isn\u2019t venting correctly. When your furnace comes on in the morning, if it is venting into your house rather than outdoors, moisture will condense on the cold glass. Another clue could be rust on the grillwork on the front of your furnace. If moist fumes aren\u2019t venting out, the moisture will rust the metal there. Below, we\u2019ve listed a few problems that could occur due to this.<\/p>\n
This occurs when your furnace is not getting enough air. So in other words, your furnace is improperly ventilated. Combustion requires oxygen, so if your furnace isn\u2019t getting the air it needs, it will suck air down the flue, which doesn\u2019t allow dangerous exhaust fumes to travel up <\/em>the flue.<\/p>\n Combustion byproducts, such as carbon monoxide, can lead to many ill effects. This includes headaches, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, and even death. When your furnace has a blockage or backdraft and cannot properly vent, combustion gases cannot escape.<\/p>\n In addition to keeping an eye out for the above-mentioned factors, it\u2019s a good idea to invest in a carbon monoxide alarm. These inexpensive devices plug into ordinary electrical sockets and give off a wail when they sense anything over a threshold amount of carbon monoxide.<\/p>\nCarbon Monoxide Exposure<\/h3>\n