Your Austin home’s HVAC system is a complicated system made up of multiple mechanical components. Although these components usually operate flawlessly, the complexity of these components means that problems can occur. In some cases, these problems can lead to safety hazards that could put you and your family at risk. To help avoid these problems and the associated risks, it’s important to have a technician from Totally Cool AC perform regular safety checks as part of your ongoing HVAC maintenance.
Significant Power
One of the potential safety risks associated with an HVAC system is due to the large amount of power that an HVAC system draws. The biggest power user in most residential settings is the air conditioner compressor. However, electric furnaces and blower fans can also draw large amounts of power.
To prevent a fire caused by an electrical malfunction, it’s important to allow Totally Cool AC to inspect your system. We’ll ensure the electrical components are in perfect condition. The insulation on wires should be intact, electrical connections should be free from any blackening, and circuit breakers should operate consistently without tripping. Given the risks associated with electrical work, it’s important to allow a professional to take care of any potential electrical problems with your HVAC system.
Carbon Monoxide
Another potential risk of ignoring safety checks is that your system may release carbon monoxide into your home. This odorless, colorless, and tasteless gas can cause death if you’re exposed to it in high concentrations. That’s why the technicians at Totally Cool AC take great care to inspect gas furnaces to ensure there’s no risk of a carbon monoxide release.
A key component that the technicians inspect is the burner on a gas furnace. The burner mixes air with natural gas or propane to create a flame that heats your home. However, if this burner malfunctions or becomes dirty, the ratio of gas to air may become imbalanced. This can lead to a release of carbon monoxide gas into your home.
Additionally, the technician will inspect the draft inducer, which is a small component located in your furnace’s flue. This component creates a vacuum in your flue to ensure the combustion byproducts are properly vented. Without this component in place, the byproducts, including carbon monoxide, could enter your home and cause a safety hazard.
Prevent Overheating
Your HVAC system has multiple safety systems in place to turn the system off if a problem occurs. However, if those safety systems aren’t operating properly, there’s no way they can protect you and your family. When a technician from Totally Cool AC looks at your HVAC system, they’ll check these systems, including the thermocouple or mercury flame sensor, which shuts off the gas supply if your pilot light doesn’t work properly, the limit switch, which will turn your furnace off if it gets too hot, and the air pressure switch, a device that works with your draft inducer to prevent the buildup of gases.
Older Installations
If you had your HVAC system installed many years ago, it’s a good idea to have Totally Cool AC perform a routine safety inspection. This is important because some of the methods used during HVAC installation have changed throughout the years, meaning that your system may be inherently unsafe due to the way it was installed.
Generally, these problems are easy to overcome. In some cases, though, your system may require major work to bring it up to modern specifications. In any event, it’s a good idea to have your system inspected so you can understand the steps that need to be taken to keep you safe.
Proper Safety Equipment
While they’re checking your HVAC equipment, a technician from Totally Cool AC can also check any related safety equipment to ensure your home is as safe as possible. For example, the technician who comes to your home can check to ensure your carbon monoxide detectors are installed correctly and are in good working order. They can also help you design barriers to help prevent children and pets from accidentally accessing your HVAC components.
Safety Is Our First Priority
In everything we do at Totally Cool AC, you can be sure that safety is our first priority. In addition to performing safety checks for our customers, we also constantly train on proper safety practices for our other services, including HVAC repair, installation, and maintenance, duct cleaning, and indoor air quality optimization. Since we were founded more than 35 years ago, we’ve worked hard to create a culture of safety that’s reflected in our customers’ satisfaction with our work. For more information about HVAC safety, give us a call at Totally Cool AC today.
