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Cold Weather Safety & Energy Saving Tips
Dear Website Customer:
"I want to stay warm, but it is not worth my life!"
Gas burning appliances are one of the most efficient methods for heating your home or business. They are designed to be safe,
but like anything else require a little TLC to keep them that way.
At Kahn Mechanical Contractors, we spend the majority of our time in the winter months correcting safety issues
in gas burning appliances. We are called out to inspect a unit because it is not working, once we are there we correct
major safety related items that caused the unit to shut down. When these safeties work properly, they result in a unit shutdown
that seems like a malfunction. In reality, it is the emergency operation of these devices that has just saved your life.
When these safeties fail, tragic things happen.
We offer the following tips to keep your employees, family and yourself comfortable and safe this heating season:
1. SAFETY CHECK....
It is extremely important that furnaces and heaters receive safety checks before they are turned on each fall.
Cracks and leaks in heat exchangers pose serious health threats. Leaks can cause fires or allow carbon monoxide to permeate the
air you breathe. Safety failures can result in a fire or other tragedy. They must be tested to verify that they
will function in case of an emergency.
2. PROTECT AGAINST CARBON MONOXIDE....
Carbon monoxide is an odorless gas that can cause: Nausea, Fatigue, Dizziness, Severe Headaches, DEATH!
If you or anyone in your business or household is experiencing these symptoms for unexplained reasons, turn off your
heating system immediately, open a window and seek medical assistance. Call to have your heating system inspected once
you are out of immediate danger. Carbon monoxide testing, done by a qualified technician each year, can save lives.
Testing is only part of the solution. The truth is that any gas appliance that is running poorly produces some carbon monoxide.
Properly running appliances produce very little if any carbon monoxide.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends that every home install carbon monoxide detectors.
But, like a smoke detector, a carbon monoxide detector can alert you to problems only after they have become extremely
dangerous. Short term and low levels that can cause danger are below the threshold of these low-cost detectors.
3. STOP PREVENTABLE FIRES....
According to the Dallas Fire Department, the second leading cause of preventable fire-related deaths is due to
carelessness or the misuse of heating units. Fires can erupt from dirty furnaces or heaters, furniture placed too
close to a heating unit, a child knocking over a space heater or sticking something into a furnace, or other instances
of carelessness or neglect.
4. WHAT'S THAT I SMELL?
If you smell an unpleasant odor when you turn on your heating unit for the first time this fall, it could be
simply the elimination of dust that has formed on the heating elements. However, if the odor continues for a
few hours, or if you experience the smell each time your unit comes on, have your system checked immediately.
This is an indication of a problem.
5. BIG BANG....CALL FOR HELP!
Another warning sign that something is seriously wrong with your heating system is hearing a loud bang
each time the heat comes on. That sound may be an explosion in your furnace caused by delayed combustion. Turn your
heating system off immediately and have it checked out.
6. REMEMBER TO CHANGE YOUR FILTERS....
Poor airflow causes the equipment to overheat, a major source of fire.
Kahn Mechanical Contractors has invested heavily in technology and training for testing gas burning appliances.
These high tech tools can identify problems with gas appliances, and ultimately save your life.
There is a considerable amount of consumer information available on this subject via the web. If you have any
further questions or interest, do not hesitate to drop me an email at . I'd like to hear from you.
Sincerely,
KAHN MECHANICAL CONTRACTORS
Josh Kahn
TACL A16606C
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