Furnaces are essential additions to the home, and because it is winter, it is important that these are clean and functioning.

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Airtime Heating & Cooling
14884 Heritagecrest Way Ste D, Riverton, Utah 84065
(801) 572-1900
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Furnace Hazards
during Winter

2. Furnaces are essential additions to the home, and because it is winter, it is
important that these are clean and functioning. Unfortunately, this is the
season when heating systems also act up and cause disasters, such as house
fires. Apart from that, it also causes carbon monoxide poisoning and
electrocution.
House Fires
In a 2014 report from the United States Fire Administration, the top 3 causes
of residential fires were cooking (50%), heating (12.5%), and electrical
malfunction (6.3%). Apart from this, 7% of house fires resulted in injuries.
On average, however, over 2,600 people die in residential fires.
Some families are more fortunate than others, like when a family from St.
George was alarmed after a fire scare that occurred back in 2015. The news
said that the cause of the smoke was the faulty blower motor from the
furnace.

3. Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Commonly known as the “Silent Killer,” carbon monoxide (CO), often
overlooked and misdiagnosed, is an odorless, colorless gas that HVAC systems
may emit. Caused by the incomplete combustion of carbonaceous material,
most cases of CO poisoning occur in private residences.
Symptoms of CO poisoning are dizziness, nausea, fatigue, headaches, and
shortness of breath. Red Cross shares that carbon monoxide poisoning takes
nearly 480 lives and sends 15,200 to the emergency room every year.
Electrocution
Every year, there are around 60 cases of electrocutions linked to consumer
products. This is a common mishap because furnace control systems have many
wires connecting its parts. This usually happens when a person does DIY repairs,
which is why it is important for qualified technicians to check on these units.

4. It is imperative that homeowners schedule regular maintenance and tune-ups
with their trusted HVAC technicians to prevent these things. Apart from that,
they should look out for anything strange that may occur in their HVAC
systems, such as smells, sounds, and appearances because these are often
signs of an impending problem.
Resources:
http://airtime-hvacutah.com/
https://www.usfa.fema.gov/data/statistics/
http://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2015/10/13/jla-fire-scare-
smoke/#.WFIqANJ97IU
http://www.redcross.org/images/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m4340092_Fire
COFactSheet.pdf
http://www.esfi.org/resource/holiday-data-and-statistics-359