Is Gas Heating Safe?

The majority of homes in the U.S. have natural gas heating systems to provide them with winter warmth, most commonly a gas furnace or gas boiler. But people still feel cautious about using a gas-powered heater because of the fear of toxic exhausts and even explosions.
We would like to get to the truth of gas heaters, as well to explain how to better care for one.

Gas Heaters Are Safe to Use

The modern gas heater is built specifically to operate with minimal danger to people. The main concern with a gas heater is the leak of carbon monoxide, which is a toxic byproduct of the combustion of gas. Furnaces vent out CO through a flue, and there is very little chance that it will flow into the house. A heat exchanger in a furnace can develop cracks that may allow carbon dioxide to escape, but this is more a concern with aging heaters or ones that don't receive regular maintenance.

Safety Tips

Even though gas furnaces and boilers have high safety standards, they can turn unsafe if they aren't maintained correctly. We strongly recommend that you arrange for annual maintenance in the fall to inspect your furnace. Technicians will find any place where safety hazards might occur and help you schedule the repairs necessary to prevent them.
Sometimes, a technician will recommend replacing a very old furnace, which will not only take care of safety problems but will help cut down on regular bills. If you sign up for our residential maintenance program, our team will see that your furnace or boiler gets its annual check-up.

The "Silent Killer" & Our Professional Safety Solution

While modern gas furnaces are built with fail-safes, the reality is that Carbon Monoxide (CO) is odorless, colorless, and deadly. It enters your home through microscopic cracks in the furnace's heat exchanger—cracks that are often invisible to the naked eye.

Don't guess about your family's safety. At Comfort Central, we don't just "look" at your furnace. We use industrial-grade combustion analyzers and electronic "sniffers" to detect even the smallest trace of gas or CO leaks.

Our "Peace of Mind" Safety Check Includes:

• Heat Exchanger Camera Inspection: We look inside the combustion chamber for cracks that standard visual checks miss.

• Carbon Monoxide Leak Test: We test the air stream to ensure ZERO ppm of CO is entering your living space.

• Safety Switch Verification: We test the "Limit Switch" to ensure the unit shuts off automatically if it overheats.

Common Safety Questions