Imagine having had a nasty brush with a light to moderate case of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. The experience may have given you an epiphany about installing CO detectors at home for better forewarning in case of another emergency in the future. However, these devices are only as effective as how they are set up—there are effective ways to put CO detectors in your home for maximum coverage.

According to the International Association of Fire Chiefs, at least one CO detector should be installed at every floor of the house, but where exactly on the floor is the question. For instance, the detector should be active in your bedroom, where the loud alarm can rouse you while sleeping. Some experts suggest within ten feet of the door, which can give you enough time to scramble fast. Bathrooms are off-limits to CO detectors.

If a CO detector is to be set up in the kitchen, the device cannot be within 15 feet of any heat-operative appliances such as gas stoves. A detector should also be set up in the garage, as many homeowners tend to run their cars on idle for long periods of time, leading to a CO buildup.

It is never fun at all to suffer a slow-lingering death and other fates are often quick. In the case of the home, there’s no faster fate than to die of asphyxiation by carbon monoxide (CO), a tasteless gas generated through the burning of fuels such as wood or petroleum. Studies have shown that at least 500 Americans die from CO poisoning every year.

There are situations when the CO comes from a gas-powered furnace that has been improperly set up. So how you stave off the danger of becoming another CO-poisoning statistic?

The symptoms of a CO-poisoning include headache, fatigue, nausea, and rapid loss of consciousness. One sign of a potential CO poisoning is when you regain your full breathing after you safely creep out of the house then the symptoms kick in once you get back inside. Take note of some warning signs in the house structure include moisture buildup inside windows, loose soot from the chimney, and possible blockages inside the chimney itself.

To prevent the danger of a CO poisoning, especially during times of cold weather, you must have a preferred contractor inspect the entire HVAC system, plus any fuel burning appliances. The contractor should also check the ductwork and the flues for leaks and blockages.

Even when you have an effective HVAC system in play at home, it is prudent to keep on your toes for signs of CO poisoning. Proper action can save your life.

The furnace is the acknowledged heart of every heating system. There are many furnace makers out in the market, each one with their own strengths and drawbacks, as well as differing modes of energy generation. So how will you know which furnace will be suitable for your home? There are some factors to account for:

Power sources will be a major issue in the selection and will often be determined by the accessibility of your community to certain power sources. For instance, the selection can steer towards gas or heating oil-powered furnaces if the community is serviced by an existing utility line.

Efficiency is measured by how much of the fuel is converted into heat, as determined by an annual utilization efficiency rating (AFUE) on the furnace label. An AFUE number of 90 indicates that 90% of the fuel is used up as internal heating.

The size of the unit you need is measured in terms of British thermal units per hour (BTU). It usually requires a professional to measure the dimensions and insulation of each room, plus the level of air filtration.

Your preferred contractor can calculate all the heating variables and find the proper furnace model for you. With a good contractor’s help, you will have a furnace that effectively generates enough heat for your home without costing too much.

It seems like winter has set in early in Salt Lake City as temperatures have dropped to as low as 7 degrees Fahrenheit in the second week of November. You may have turned up your electric furnace so you and your family can get the warmth you need. With electric furnaces, you won't have to worry about running out of fuel or gas to keep them functioning, and you can have a peaceful and warm sleep all throughout the night—well, unless there is a sudden power outage in the city, which is unlikely, of course.

While a power supply that is filled to the brim (so to speak) at all times is the advantage that an electric furnace provides, like all the household devices that run on electricity, they are also prone to a few problems. For one, you may find yourself having to deal with an electric furnace that doesn't generate enough heat even when the settings are on the maximum and your home is well-insulated. When this happens, dirty and clogged filters can be the source of the problem.

A noisy furnace is also a likely problem that an electric furnace owner may encounter. This is not only bothersome, causing you and your family lack of essential sleep, it can also indicate bigger problems with the furnace. In this case, it’s best to call on a Salt Lake City furnace repair specialist to delve deeper into the source of the problem.

Furnaces are extremely important in American society, especially in cities that are located far from the Equator. Furnaces provide the much-needed warmth people need to survive chilly conditions.

Necessity is the mother of invention and the need for more heat brought about different kinds of furnaces that can be seen almost anywhere. Different furnaces tend to complement different kinds of homes, as they have different ways of burning and distributing heat to a space.

Single stage furnace

A single stage furnace is straightforward: either on or off. It is the least expensive of the known furnace systems, but there is no way for anyone to moderate the release of heat, as it can't be regulated to release a certain amount of heat.

Dual stage furnace

The dual stage furnace is similar to the single stage, only that it has three settings: off, low, and high. It is also quieter than the single stage variety. Due to the additional option, however, dual stage furnaces are a little costlier.

Modulating furnace

Furnaces of this type have electronic controls that allow for very meticulous temperature control close to the thermostat setting. Modulating gas furnaces are the costliest type of furnace systems but are extremely energy efficient.

By definition, a furnace is an enclosure where nonthermal energy is converted to heat. Its energy can be derived from fossil fuel, chemical, or electric resources.

When computing the size of a furnace, certain factors must be taken into proper account. One of which is the area of the space that must be heated. Other considerations include the openings (windows and doors), layout of the space, and the location of the furnace.

Furnaces also incorporate certain features that partly distinguishes them from the rest. For instance, there are models that extend the furnace's functionality by allowing users to adjust the speed or select areas of the home to be heated. Users can likewise program the furnace, among others, to start heating the space at a preset time.

The furnace, an integral part of any heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, impacts the level of comfort you experience in your personal space. There comes a point when you start to forget about your furnace until problems start to rear their heads one way or another. However, that shouldn't be the case if you regularly check the condition of your furnace and make sure it won't fail to serve its purpose.

One of the worst things that could happen during the winter is for your home furnace to break down or malfunction. It is, therefore, important to regularly maintain your furnace unit and to know just when to call in the professionals. Here are three tips for keeping your furnace burning even through the coldest day.

Regular Cleaning

Dirt is perhaps the biggest problem that could plague a furnace. At the very least, it would cause clogs that will reduce the heating efficiency of your unit; the worst-case scenario would be that you’ll have a broken furnace with possibly dangerous leaks.

Using Your Nose

Your nose is your first tool in diagnosing a gas leak in the house. If you smell concentrated amounts of gas, get out of the house as quickly as possible and alert the gas company or the fire department immediately. For small leaks around the furnace unit, you can try to locate the leak by putting a mixture of detergent along the line; wherever the mixture bubbles up, there's gas escaping.

Calling Professional Repair

If you suspect a problem that's beyond your skill scope, it is best to call in a professional repair company than to use trial-and-error to solve the problem. Safety first, after all.

A home furnace is indeed a very big boon to homeowners in colder areas, but only if it works properly. That said, always stay on top of furnace maintenance so you never experience serious problems.

It is very important for every homeowner to keep his or her house warm when the weather is uncomfortably cool. This is usually done by getting a heating system. These systems come in many different forms, and each of them has its own advantages. The truth is, these products vary greatly because they are designed with the different types and sizes of homes in mind.

Does your entire home require heating or would warming a room or two suffice, as all you want is a little bit of comfortable warmth when the seasons progress to cooler temperatures? Size matters when talking about heating solutions, so you should ask yourself some of these questions when looking into the possibility of having heating installed in your home.

A gas furnace is a very common heating equipment that is used in most homes. Even though it tends to be on the more expensive side of heating materials, it is one of the most effective means in delivering the right amount of warmth many homes require. Installation costs can amount to quite a lot as well, but as its heating capacity can easily be controlled, many homeowners believe that every single cent spent on a gas furnace is worth it.