Carbon Monoxide poisoning is a real threat to your health and safety
Today kicks off National Chimney Safety Week headed by the Chimney Safety Institute of America, and it will run through October 6. This year is all about empowering homeowners with a better understanding of the three levels of chimney inspections. One point of an inspection is to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, which is one of the top three serious problems that result from a poorly maintained chimney.
Carbon monoxide poisoning claims about 4,000 lives annually, and a large portion of those deaths are a result of chimneys that are not properly maintained. An annual chimney inspection can help to prevent carbon monoxide buildup that can occur due to a blocked furnace. If your chimney was built with a vented gas or oil furnace, boiler, and/or water heater, you could be at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning if you do not call a chimney sweep regularly.
Carbon monoxide can build up over time as the acids in the exhaust break down the facing of the tile lining. When the facing is gone, the tiles will break down much faster, and with today’s higher efficiency heating appliances, the process happens even quicker. When the tiles start to fall apart, they can block the flow of exhaust gasses up the chimney causing flue gases, including carbon monoxide, to spill over into your living area.
A heating contractor will not inspect the flue when the furnace is being served. This is a primary reason for scheduling an annual chimney inspection, whether or not you have or use a fireplace. If you are lighting fires in your fireplace, as well, it is twice as important that you call your local chimney sweep.
Resources: HomeAdvisor, Lou Curley’s Chimney
Read More:
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What to Do in Case of a Chimney Fire
Wells & Sons Chimney Service offers chimney cleaning, repair and maintenance, stove installations, whole home masonry and stucco, and dryer vent cleaning. Wells & Sons has been providing superior chimney services to the Pottstown, Allentown, Reading, Norristown, West Chester, Lansdale, and surrounding Pennsylvania areas since 1979.