Many of us wish to go to heaven when we die but only after a long and hopefully successful life. Hopefully Heaven Can Wait! Unfortunately, for many unsuspecting consumers, a silent and sneaky killer known as Carbon Monoxide (CO)has shortened the waiting period. HVAC contractors are usually the only safety net that consumers have to …
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A few months ago, there was an unfortunate story in the national news about what occurs when gas leaks aren’t discovered and repaired. Three people died from a house explosion after they made multiple calls about smelling gas. After the first call, the gas company responded, but it’s unclear what actions they took. Later, another …
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With the end of the heating season there’s a tendency to forget the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO). As you transition to the cooling season, be sure to keep your awareness for CO high even though it’s likely to be the last thing on your mind. Let’s look at five summer CO issues you should …
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One of my favorite fictional characters growing up was Sherlock Holmes. Holmes was an extraordinary detective with a gift for finding clues of a mystery others completely missed. His confidence, observational skills, and attention to detail added an extra appeal to the stories. Little did I know the qualities of Sherlock Holmes would apply to …
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4 Obstacles

Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is one of those scary issues that most HVAC professionals hope to never encounter. As with many frightening things we want to avoid, this doesn’t make those issues go away. The threat is very real even though a blind eye is often turned to it. With all the stories and reports …
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Many technicians who work on fuel-fired equipment will admit they’ve singed their eyebrows when watching a burner light. It’s a rite of passage among most seasoned technicians. What if there was a safer way to check ignition instead of sticking your face in front of a burner? Fortunately, there is, and it involves using a …
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Zero Draft and the CO Conundrum

Many technicians get distressed when they measure draft pressure in the flue and discover the reading is zero. Let’s look at three common reasons for zero draft pressure in a flue. We’ll also determine what defect you’re dealing with. Reason #1: Zero Draft from Building Depressurization Building depressurization is probably the most common reason for …
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With the end of the heating season there’s a tendency to forget the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO). As you transition to the cooling season, be sure to keep your awareness for CO high even though it’s likely to be the last thing on your mind. Let’s look at five summer CO issues you should …
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Heat exchangers

The connections between a furnace and duct system are rarely considered as a cause of cracked heat exchangers. Commonly repeated mistakes with return and supply duct connections significantly impact airflow and the length of time before you’re back for repairs. Let’s look at some these issues that may be killing airflow and the heat exchangers …
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CO - What Do You Know?

Many HVAC professionals assume the leading cause of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is a cracked heat exchanger. This assumption leads to inaccurate test methods that pass on from technician to technician. They try to assure customer safety, but unknowingly rely on misinformation. No one wins in this scenario — both the contractor and customer have …
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