Proper Venting

Every year, when the weather turns cold, homeowners reach for household thermostats and set the temperature to 68 or 70 degrees. Most people give little thought to whether the furnace exhaust system – the chimney and connector pipe – is ready to provide safe, effective service.

Consumer confidence in the convenience and safety of today’s home heating systems is usually well-placed. The oil and gas heating industries have achieved impressive safety records. Nonetheless, over 200 people across the nation are known to die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by problems in the venting – out of their homes – of toxic gases produced by their heating systems. This is according to statistics compiled by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Other agencies estimate actual numbers at between 2,000 and 4,000.