Category: CO Detectors

Signs of Needing Furnace Repair

Posted on | by Acosta Heating, Cooling & Electrical

Furnace repair can be a very expensive part of life. It is important to catch the signs early, so you avoid a catastrophe and an even more expensive mess. Here are 7 signs that can help you realize whether you need furnace repair or not:

  • The prices of your gas and electric bill are going up. Furnaces lose efficiency with age, and this can increase exponentially if the furnace has not been properly maintained. This causes your furnace to work harder for the same amount of output while using more energy and eventually causing your gas or electric bills to rise. The money you pay the gas and electric company every month could be used to pay for new furnace.
  • Your furnace is multiple decades old. The life expectancy of a furnace is between 16 and 20 years. Any longer than this and your furnace is probably close to its end.
  • No matter what the thermostat says, you are still uncomfortable. Your furnace may lack the ability to properly distribute the air in your home, making some rooms warmer than others. Also your thermostat may need replacing.The furnace is making strange noises. Furnaces tend to make strange and loud noises near the end of their life. This could be a sign that the furnace is about to give.
  • Members of your household getting sick. As furnaces get older, they run the risk of getting damaged and cracked. This can cause carbon monoxide to leak into your home undetected and cause harm to your family. Symptoms include disorientation, nausea, and flu-like symptoms. It is highly recommended that everyone have a carbon monoxide detector installed in each living area of your home. If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, or if your carbon monoxide detector goes off, get out of the house immediately and do not go back in until the area has been inspected by professionals and proven to be safe
  • Yellow burner flame instead of a blue burner flame. A yellow burner flame might be a sign that your furnace is producing carbon monoxide. This is very dangerous to the members of your household.
  • Dirty or dusty home. Old furnaces cannot properly moisturize and clean the air inside of your home.

If you see any of these signs, you should consult with a professional to see about furnace repair or replacing your furnace.

In need of furnace services in the Charlotte metro area? Call Acosta Heating, Cooling & Electrical today at 704.665.5998 or contact us online!

Heating Your Home for Winter: Safety Is Important

Posted on | by Acosta Heating, Cooling & Electrical

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire… During the time when Jack Frost is nipping at your nose, it feels great to be warm. But before you light an open fire in your house or turn up the thermostat you should take a few safety precautions to avoid hazards.

A good start is to make sure that you have fresh batteries in your fire alarms. Fire alarms, as simple as they might be, can mean life or death when you are heating your home. Here are some other places you should look before heating up the house in the winter:

Furnace

  • Make sure it is inspected annually before heating your home.
  • Make sure all gauges are working properly.
  • Check and replace filters.
  • Move any items away from the furnace.
  • Place a carbon monoxide detector on each level and/or living area of your home.

Fireplace

  • Make sure that your chimney is clean. This should be done annually.
  • Remember to open the flue; otherwise smoke will fill your house quickly.
  • Make sure to clear all items from your roof.

Radiator

  • Make sure there is no furniture around the radiator.
  • Make sure that children are kept away from the radiator to prevent burns.
  • Check the insulation around the pipe that connects to your radiator. If it is becoming worn, it needs to be replaced.

Using these safety tips, your whole family can have a warm winter season without concern for dangers or accidentally starting a fire while heating your home.

How to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning From Home Heating Systems

Posted on | by Acosta Heating, Cooling & Electrical

According to the USFA (United States Fire Administration), around 400 Americans die of carbon monoxide poisoning every year, and an additional 22,000 are treated in emergency rooms. Most fatalities are associated with central heating systems, fireplaces and portable heaters.

Carbon monoxide is a potentially lethal, odorless, colorless, poisonous gas. Sources of it include the incomplete burning of fuels (kerosene, wood, charcoal, coal, etc.) and equipment or vehicles that use combustion engines such as lawn mowers, portable generators and cars. Prevention is of paramount importance to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. It can kill you before you even know it’s in your home.

You rely on heating sources to keep you warm in winter, but remember they are also possible sources of carbon monoxide, so please observe the following precautions this winter:

  • Ensure that chimneys and vents are free of debris or blockage. Schedule an appointment at least once a year for a professional inspection of any fuel-burning appliances in your home, including your chimney, venting and heating systems.
  • Do not use flameless, portable, chemical heaters inside your home. While they don’t produce flames, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) says they burn gas and can cause a buildup of carbon monoxide inside homes.
  • Never use your oven or a gas range burner to warm up your home. They are not designed for home heating purposes.
  • Install a carbon monoxide alarm or detector and ensure that it has fresh batteries and is working properly. These devices are designed to measure carbon monoxide levels. The USFA recommends using a detector that has passed the UL2034 safety standard. Also make sure to check the expiration date on your carbon monoxide detector; most are only effective for 5-7 years.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors Are Critical to Your Safety – Choose the Right Type

Posted on | by Acosta Heating, Cooling & Electrical

It’s odorless, colorless and tasteless. Early symptoms of exposure to it may be mistaken for a simple case of the flu. Yet, carbon monoxide (CO) is the leading cause of residential poisoning fatalities in the United States. Each year about 500 Americans die from breathing it — nearly half in their sleep — and over 15,000 require hospital treatment. Produced by incomplete combustion of common fuels like coal, oil, gasoline and natural gas, CO silently accumulates in enclosed spaces and swiftly reaches fatal concentration. Without carbon monoxide detectors installed to alert occupants, death may occur in as little as three minutes.

Early detection of carbon monoxide is a lifesaver, particularly when residents in a home are asleep. Carbon monoxide detectors with alarms are based on two different technologies:

  • Electrochemical detectors rely on a chemical reaction to sense the level of CO. Widely marketed and now considered the most accurate variety, these models utilize a high-decibel audio alarm. Electrochemical detectors have low voltage requirements and many are battery-powered, permitting more versatile location and easier installation.
  • Metal oxide semiconductor detectors utilize an older technology, relying on the reaction between tin oxides and carbon monoxide to detect dangerous levels. Metal oxide carbon monoxide detectors must be plugged in or hardwired to 120-volt house current, limiting location options. However, the AC power source enables more features, such as a digital readout to display current CO levels. Some metal oxide-type detectors are also equipped with a strobe light that accompanies the audio alarm—desirable in homes with elderly or hearing-impaired residents.

The initial purchase price for carbon monoxide detectors of either type is more or less a wash. However, battery/sensor replacement required by electrochemical models after two to three years results in greater expense over the long run. Each sleeping floor of the residence should have at least one detector installed, with another in the vicinity of any appliances that burn natural gas or other combustible fuels.For more about the safety benefits of carbon monoxide detectors, and the dangers of CO exposure, contact Acosta Heating, Cooling & Electrical — since 1972, Charlotte, North Carolina’s leading heating and cooling providers.

CO2 Detectors: Make Sure You Have Them in the Right Places

Posted on | by Acosta Heating, Cooling & Electrical

When you close your home up against the cold, you should be aware that your heating system could pose a potential risk to your family. Carbon monoxide (CO2) will be generated by any fuel-burning furnace, whether that fuel is oil, natural gas, or propane. CO2 is usually safely vented out of your house, but leaks can occur. Humans cannot detect this deadly gas, and in the right concentration, carbon monoxide can kill.

You can keep your family safe from this unseen danger by installing reliable carbon monoxide detectors throughout your home. If the gas is detected, the device sounds a loud alarm, giving your family time to escape and get to safety. Carbon monoxide detectors are not a substitute for smoke alarms, but they work well in combination with these devices.

You should install CO2 detectors on the wall or ceiling outside within 10 feet of each bedroom in your home. If only one detector is being installed, it should be placed just outside the main sleeping area. CO2 detectors must be placed where they can easily waken sleeping occupants; carbon monoxide deaths commonly occur when people are exposed to the gas in their sleep.

If you have an attached garage, install an additional detector near or over this area.

It is best not to place CO2 detectors within 15 feet of cooking or heating equipment. These appliances may generate small amounts of carbon monoxide, which can trigger false readings. You should also avoid areas where there is a lot of moisture and humidity.

Test the detector regularly and make sure the batteries are charged and the detector still works.

For 40 years, Acosta Heating, Cooling & Electrical has been providing professional heating and cooling services to Charlotte-area customers. Contact us today for more information on the proper placement of carbon monoxide detectors in your home, and learn how we are working to keep your family safe by offering Free Carbon Monoxide Detectors with every new system installation.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors: Make Sure You Put Them in the Right Places

Posted on | by Acosta Heating, Cooling & Electrical

As winter comes in, we’re all going to be sealed up in our homes with our heating systems on. Carbon monoxide is a gas emission from anything that burns fuel. So, if you have gas, oil, kerosene or wood heating, or even an attached garage, your Charlotte-area home is a prime candidate for potentially deadly carbon monoxide.
If you don’t have carbon monoxide detectors, get them. They are actually required by Mecklenburg County Building Standards.

They should be a low level CO detector, there are a lot alarms on the market that only sound an alarm at 70+ PPM while both OSHA and the EPA consider 10 to 35 PPM a serious level of CO.

If you do have a CO detector, make sure they’re a LOW level detector and that they are in the right places. Here are a few tips on the best places for carbon monoxide detector placement:

  • Bedrooms: The absolute number one place for a detector is the bedroom. Ideally, the unit should be located about 10 feet away from the bedroom door. Once asleep, if there is a problem with your heater’s fuel combustion and fumes are entering the house, a detector will alert you before the carbon monoxide gas reaches a serious level.
  • On Each Floor:  A multi-level home should have one on each floor. Carbon monoxide gas is about the same weight as oxygen and will rise in heated air. Your basement should have one as well.
  • Living Areas: Dens, living rooms, and bonus rooms should all have carbon monoxide detectors. Falling asleep in front of the television with the poisonous gas present could result in a tragedy.
  • Near Or Above an Attached Garage: Fumes coming from gasoline vehicles contain carbon monoxide gas. Warming the vehicle in the winter before leaving can have dangerous consequences if fumes enter your home.

For more information on protecting your family from this poisonous gas, contact our staff at Acosta Heating and Cooling. We want all Charlotte residents to be both warm and safe this winter. Call us with your questions, we’re always happy to help.