Four Seasons Home Services

Since the Blizzard of 2011 hit Chicago, many homeowners have reported problems with their heating equipment that resulted in carbon monoxide build-up in the home. Four Seasons Home Services knows just how dangerous these types of heating problems can be, and we are taking this as an opportunity to remind Chicagoans to have their carbon monoxide detectors checked or replaced. You should also be doing everything that you possibly can to prevent these types of leaks in the first place. There are three main ways that carbon monoxide could be leaking into your home instead of being vented outside. These include:

• Blocked Exhaust Pipe: The majority of carbon monoxide leaks that were reported after the blizzard were the result of a blocked exhaust pipe. Newer high efficiency furnaces will vent through plastic piping out the side of the home instead of through the roof like the older less efficient models do. This plastic piping is usually only a few feet off the ground, and when the snow fell, many pipes became blocked. Many furnaces will shut down when this happens, but if yours doesn’t, carbon monoxide will back up into the home. Keep these pipes clear of debris and snow at all times!
• Cracked Piping for Venting System: No matter where your furnace vents to, there is the potential for that venting system to leak into the home. Every year you should have the vent checked by a professional, so that any potential leaks can be identified early on.
• Heat Exchanger Crack: Old rusted out furnaces will often develop cracks in the heat exchanger. This crack will allow CO into the homes breathing air, and having your heat exchanger checked annually for this problem is the only way to really prevent these leaks in your home.

Detection is Your Best Protection

Having functional carbon monoxide detectors in the home is a requirement by law in Illinois. Yet, thousands of families do not have these devices. Four Seasons Home Services can change all of that with the installation of either a battery powered or hard wired carbon monoxide detection system. We can also test your existing detectors to make sure that they are still functioning properly. By having new detectors strategically placed in your home by Four Seasons, you can rest assured that your family is going to be safe in the event of a carbon monoxide leak. Put your mind at ease and call Four Seasons today!

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