Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas.
It is a by-product of burning fuel.
When an HVAC system’s vent does not work correctly, the carbon monoxides get trapped or leak into your indoor space, and the air will start circulating in the house. Carbon monoxide can leak from a heat exchanger that has a hole. When carbon monoxide gas gets into the indoor air, the occupants will start having severe headaches, feel nauseous, feel dizzy, experience shortness of breath, collapse, and lose consciousness. In extreme cases, carbon monoxide poisoning leads to death. Some measures should be taken to prevent CO poisoning. Begin by installing a carbon monoxide detector. These CO detectors will sound an alarm when there is the presence of CO in the air. Since these detectors are battery-operated, you need to replace the batteries every six months for them to function correctly. When buying gas appliances, it is essential to check if they are properly vented to prevent the risk of carbon monoxide leaks. Routine maintenance from an HVAC professional will help avoid CO leaks from happening. HVAC technicians inspect the vents, your furnace, fireplace, and chimneys. Blocked vents or chimney flues will cause CO to leak. Clean these HVAC parts to release waste gases from your HVAC system. This blockage doesn’t happen overnight. It takes years for dust and debris to build up. Another source of CO leaks is the heat exchanger. A heat exchanger is used to vent out poisonous gas from the combustion chamber. When the heat exchanger develops cracks or holes, carbon monoxide leaks into the indoor air.