{"id":1258,"date":"2020-01-06T11:00:36","date_gmt":"2020-01-06T16:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.atlanticrefrigeration.com\/blog\/?p=1258"},"modified":"2019-12-31T18:14:07","modified_gmt":"2019-12-31T23:14:07","slug":"can-gas-furnace-become-dangerous","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.atlanticrefrigeration.com\/blog\/heating-service\/can-gas-furnace-become-dangerous\/","title":{"rendered":"Can My Gas Furnace Become Dangerous?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"heat-exchange-cracked\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

More than 66 million homes across the country use natural gas\nin some way. It\u2019s the preferred power source for kitchens and the most reliable\nway to provide warmth while also saving money. Yet people still have concerns\nabout the safety of using natural gas. It\u2019s easy to become worried when you\nhear about accidents with natural gas resulting in fires, explosions, or carbon\nmonoxide poisoning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s true that natural gas can become hazardous, and the gas\nfurnace in your home does have the potential to create safety issues. However, natural\ngas would not be used in 66 million homes (and five million businesses) if it\nwas a regular safety problem. Gas furnaces are constructed to operate as safely\nas possible. As long as you have the furnace serviced regularly\u2014annual\nprofessional maintenance tune-ups and prompt repairs as necessary\u2014you and your\nfamily can enjoy years of worry-free heating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, we recommend you read below to find out how the furnace might turn dangerous. Arming yourself with this knowledge can help you know when to call us for professional furnace service in Georgetown, DE<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The Cracked Heat Exchanger<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The biggest potential safety problem with a gas furnace is\ncracks along the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is the metal compartment\nthat captures the hot combustion gas from the burners and then transfers it to\nthe air moving through the furnace along the hot metal walls. The toxic exhaust\ngas left over inside the heat exchanger is vented outdoor through a flue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over time, the expansion and contraction of the metal on the\nheat exchanger can lead to cracks forming. Corrosion may also begin on the metal\ndue to years of exposure to the vapor in the combustion gases\u2014a process that\nwill speed up if the furnace isn\u2019t venting properly. Even a small crack can\nbecome a problem because it will open as the metal expands. This can allow the toxic\ngases in the exchanger to escape and enter the air that is blown into the\nhouse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you hear a clicking sound from the furnace after the\nblower fan shuts off, you may have a cracked exchanger. If the furnace is more\nthan 10 years old, the chances are higher, so have a professional inspect the furnace.\nAnnual inspections in fall are the best way to avoid cracked heat exchanger\ntroubles: technicians look specifically for cracks. The heat exchanger can be replaced,\nbut if the furnace is old enough, the best route is to replace the entire furnace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gas Line Leaks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This isn\u2019t a furnace-specific problem: the gas lines to any appliance in your house can start to leak and send methane into the home, creating a major fire hazard. Natural gas manufacturers put a special chemical called mercaptan<\/em> into natural gas to give it a particular odor (it\u2019s odorless otherwise) that will warn of a leak. If you notice a rotten-egg smell in the house, leave immediately and call the gas company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you need furnace service, depend on Atlantic Refriger<\/a>ation & Air Conditioning, Inc. Over 30 Years of Quality Service<\/a>!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We recommend you read below to find out how the furnace might turn dangerous.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[76],"tags":[99,49,50],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.atlanticrefrigeration.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1258"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.atlanticrefrigeration.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.atlanticrefrigeration.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.atlanticrefrigeration.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.atlanticrefrigeration.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1258"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.atlanticrefrigeration.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1258\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1260,"href":"https:\/\/www.atlanticrefrigeration.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1258\/revisions\/1260"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.atlanticrefrigeration.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1258"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.atlanticrefrigeration.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1258"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.atlanticrefrigeration.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1258"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}