Your family’s health and wellness is likely your top priority. When a home service provider is working in your home, it’s their top priority as well. They want you to be safe and comfortable after they leave, so they do the job to the best of their ability. Unfortunately, no service provider can see the future and guarantee that your furnace will continue working properly. A broken furnace can put you and your family at risk, so they rely solely on your ability to check your appliances and make a phone call before things get bad. Here are a few ways that a furnace that needs replacing can affect your health:
Stress
We deal with enough stress in our lives – we should be able to unwind and feel comfortable when were home. This can be difficult when your bills skyrocket, excessive repair costs and higher electricity bills can pile on the anxiety. If you find that you are paying more lately for electricity, your furnace may be the cause. An outdated or inefficient furnace requires more electricity to work, creating a huge dent in your wallet! To save money down the line, it’s best to call a specialist at the first sign of a problem.
Respiratory Issues
Did you know that an old or broken furnace can be linked to breathing problems among your household? If your heating system isn’t working properly, it can pump dust, mold, and other pathogens into your home air supply. This can cause asthma to worsen, and other breathing related illnesses to pop up. If you notice an increase in these symptoms, you should have your furnace fixed as soon as possible.
Fire Hazard
When you turn on your furnace for the first time of the season, it’s not uncommon to smell a faint hint of oil or gas. If you turn your furnace on a few consecutive times and you can still smell it, your furnace isn’t working right. Contact a specialist right away to diagnose the problem, as this could be far more serious that you think. Not only does it mean that your furnace is malfunctioning, but these materials are flammable and can pose safety hazards.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
It’s important that you keep a watchful eye on the pilot light in your furnace – it should always be blue. A blue flame is visual proof that the gases working inside of your furnace are balance perfectly, keeping you and your loved ones safe. If the flame of your pilot light ever turns yellow, this means that the balance has been thrown off and that carbon monoxide is leaking into your home. Carbon monoxide poisoning can lead to serious injury or death, so you should treat this as an emergency.