Risks of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning With a Malfunctioning HVAC

A majority of time spent by most people is in the indoors regardless of the season. You might have decreased indoor air quality in your home even if your HVAC system is relatively new. Decreased air quality can result in several types of illnesses. According to a report by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) quality of indoor air is usually much poorer than the outdoors. An inefficient or malfunctioning air conditioning system could be the reason for carbon monoxide poisoning and other forms of illness.

Effects of HVAC Induced Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

The University of Rochester Medical Center recently stated that heaters can be a potential source of carbon monoxide poisoning in households. Carbon monoxide by nature is an odorless and tasteless gas. It can be potentially deadly if inhaled in large quantities. In fact, even if the levels of carbon monoxide emitted are not high enough to be deadly, they can still result in severe illnesses.

Carbon monoxide poisoning becomes a real and dangerous possibility if your HVAC system doesn’t work correctly or results in incomplete fuel combustion. These are a few symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning you should be aware of:

• Nausea
• Headaches
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness

These are just a few symptoms and they can be mild in nature. However, you should not ignore the symptoms since they can quickly progress into more intense or severe illnesses. Faulty or poorly maintained air conditioning units can be the reason for carbon monoxide poisoning.

Other Forms of Illnesses and Symptoms

You can experience a wide variety of illnesses and symptoms because of carbon monoxide poisoning. This usually occurs when an air conditioning unit is not regularly maintained or the filters are not replaced routinely. Poorly maintained equipment may also result in growth of mold and mites or leaks in ducts. This could potentially reduce the overall indoor air quality making you and your family very sick.

It is possible that the central heating is not working if you are experiencing dryness in the mouth, nose or the eyes. Other symptoms of a faulty unit include coughing, fatigue, sneezing and a significant increase in allergies. Sometimes, faulty air conditioners or central heating units result in skin rashes. Fortunately, most of these symptoms are short-lived and can be treated by fixing the HVAC unit.

Steps to Mitigate Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Hazards

There are several steps you can take to improve your indoor air quality and eliminate the risk of a potential carbon monoxide poisoning. For starters, you need to ensure that your air conditioning unit is clean and safe. Make sure to replace faulty or old units with newer and improved models. You would be surprised at the energy efficiency and features offered by newer models.

It is important that you get trained technicians to install the new system. Faulty installations can result in a lot of costly problems down the line. Central furnaces and air systems should be maintained regularly. This is true even when the system is new. In fact, you should consider getting a preventative maintenance plan for your HVAC system.

Never go with the lowest priced option when it comes to maintenance, repairs, or installation in your Bay Area home or business’s HVAC system. You should try working with a contractor that offers high quality service.