{"id":550,"date":"2023-03-13T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-13T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thermallheating.com\/blog\/?p=550"},"modified":"2025-12-26T00:50:45","modified_gmt":"2025-12-26T08:50:45","slug":"the-importance-of-carbon-monoxide-testing-for-your-furnace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thermallheating.com\/blog\/heating-service\/the-importance-of-carbon-monoxide-testing-for-your-furnace\/","title":{"rendered":"The Importance of Carbon Monoxide Testing for Your Furnace"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-medium\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thermallheating.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/furnace-testing.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thermallheating.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/furnace-testing-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Technician checking flame and temperature during furnace maintenance service.\" class=\"wp-image-494\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thermallheating.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/furnace-testing-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.thermallheating.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/furnace-testing-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thermallheating.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/furnace-testing.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>If you have a natural gas furnace providing your home with heat, you probably know that there is some potential for dangerous carbon monoxide gas exposure. This is something that\u2019s true of any home appliance that combusts natural gas, not just gas furnaces. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a byproduct of the combustion process, a colorless, odorless, and toxic gas that creates health complications and can even cause death with extended exposure.\u00a0To stay safe, it\u2019s essential to understand<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thermallheating.com\/blog\/heating-service\/why-carbon-monoxide-detectors-are-critical-for-homes\/\"> why carbon monoxide detectors matter<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gas furnaces aren\u2019t inherently unsafe\u2014they would never be permitted in homes if they were\u2014so you don\u2019t need to panic about having a gas furnace in your house. But you must take several precautions to ensure the furnace runs safely and that you and your family have ample warning in case CO leaks into the home. One of these precautions is to have<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thermallheating.com\/blog\/indoor-air-quality-service\/do-you-need-to-schedule-indoor-air-quality-testing-for-carbon-monoxide\/\"> routine carbon monoxide air testing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Carbon Monoxide Testing: A Furnace Safety Essential<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can leak from furnaces with damaged heat exchangers or blocked vents<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Regular testing ensures the furnace is safely exhausting combustion gases and not leaking CO into your home<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Installing and checking carbon monoxide detectors adds a layer of protection against undetected gas leaks<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Annual furnace inspections help identify and fix CO risks before they become hazardous<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What Is CO Testing and Why Every Home Needs It<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This testing measures if any amount of CO is escaping from the furnace. To conduct the test, technicians use special CO detectors to measure the carbon monoxide levels in the air that surrounds the furnace. The detector is usually placed near the furnace of an air intake vent. The technicians turn on the furnace and allow it to run while watching the detector.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There will likely be some trace elements of carbon monoxide in the air\u2014this is present in most homes\u2014but the levels should not be more than 10 parts per million (ppm). If the levels are higher than that, the technicians will need to closely examine the furnace to find if there are leaks. The most common culprits behind leaking CO in a furnace are a cracked heat exchanger or blocked exhaust vents.\u00a0For added safety, it\u2019s helpful to review these<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thermallheating.com\/blog\/heating-service\/important-tips-for-furnace-safety\/\"> important tips for furnace safety<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>When Should You Schedule CO Testing for Your Furnace?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We recommend you have <a href=\"\/indoor-air-quality\/carbon-monoxide-testing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">carbon monoxide testing in Yakima, WA<\/a> done annually. In most situations, you won\u2019t have to worry about scheduling this as a separate service: we perform it as part of regular HVAC maintenance during the fall. It\u2019s an important part of the safety checks we do for furnaces. As long as you remember to have this annual maintenance done, you\u2019ll have the CO testing you need. If you join our maintenance program, you\u2019ll receive reminders about regular HVAC maintenance so you won\u2019t forget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll also need to have CO testing done if your home\u2019s carbon monoxide detectors go off. Whenever you hear the CO detectors\u2019 alarm, leave the house immediately and contact the gas company. Once they\u2019ve determined that it\u2019s safe for you to return to your home, contact our team to arrange for carbon monoxide testing to find out the trouble with the furnace and what needs to be done to ensure it runs safely again. In the case of older furnaces (close to 15 years or older), it\u2019s often better to replace the heating system entirely rather than to try to push ahead with a unit that\u2019s already deteriorating and creating safety concerns.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s our job to help you keep your home\u2019s heating system running as safely as possible. If you have any concerns about your gas furnace, don\u2019t hesitate to reach out to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Frequently Asked Questions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Question: Why is carbon monoxide testing important for my furnace?<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong><strong>Answer:<\/strong> Gas furnaces produce carbon monoxide (CO), a colorless, odorless, and toxic gas. Annual CO testing ensures harmful leaks don\u2019t go undetected, helping keep your home safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Question: What does carbon monoxide testing involve?<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong><strong>Answer:<\/strong> During testing, a technician places a CO detector near your furnace or air intake vent while the unit runs. If CO levels exceed 10 ppm, they inspect for issues like cracked heat exchangers or blocked exhaust vents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Question: How often should CO testing be done?<br>Answer:<\/strong> CO testing should be done annually, typically during your regular fall HVAC maintenance. It\u2019s often included as part of a professional maintenance program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Question: When should I schedule CO testing outside of annual checks?<br>Answer:<\/strong> If your CO detector alarm ever goes off, evacuate immediately, then schedule furnace testing. CO testing helps pinpoint leaks and restore safe operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n  \"mainEntity\": [\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Question\",\n      \"name\": \"Why is carbon monoxide testing important for my furnace?\",\n      \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n        \"text\": \"Gas furnaces produce carbon monoxide (CO), a colorless, odorless, and toxic gas. Annual CO testing ensures harmful leaks don\u2019t go undetected, helping keep your home safe.\"\n      }\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Question\",\n      \"name\": \"What does carbon monoxide testing involve?\",\n      \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n        \"text\": \"During testing, a technician places a CO detector near your furnace or air intake vent while the unit runs. 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CO testing helps pinpoint leaks and restore safe operation.\"\n      }\n    }\n  ]\n}\n<\/script>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"\/contact-us\/send-a-message\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Call ThermAll Heating &amp; Cooling, Inc: We are \u201cYour Home Comfort Hero!\u201d<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You must take several precautions to ensure the furnace runs safely and that you and your family have ample warning in case CO leaks into the home.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[76],"tags":[99,49,87],"class_list":["post-550","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-heating-service","tag-gas-furnaces","tag-heating-system-maintenance","tag-yakima"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermallheating.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/550","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermallheating.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermallheating.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermallheating.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermallheating.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=550"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermallheating.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/550\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1097,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermallheating.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/550\/revisions\/1097"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermallheating.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=550"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermallheating.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=550"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermallheating.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=550"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}