The return of cooler temperatures raises your dependence on home heating equipment in the fall. If your furnace isn’t functioning correctly, it may become a fire hazard and endanger your family’s safety.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), heating systems like furnaces are a leading factor of home fires, leading to nearly 50,000 blazes, 500 civilian deaths and more than $1 billion in direct property damage each year. Space heaters and fireplaces cause most of the fires affecting heating equipment, but central heaters, like furnaces, are accountable for around 12% of these blazes. Learn the most likely causes of furnace fires and how to prevent them.
Causes of Furnace Fires
Older furnaces are more exposed to safety hazards as they could be designed differently and slide into disrepair over the years. Still, whether your furnace is more than a decade old or brand new, you should be familiar with these causes of furnace fires.
Overheated Motor
A furnace motor can overheat in several ways. Here are the main risks:
- A clogged filter can restrict airflow and force the motor to work more. Eventually, the motor may overheat, raising the risk of fire.
- Dirt can accumulate around and insulate the motor, forcing it to retain heat, which can cause a fire.
- Exposed or deteriorated wiring can cause the voltage to elevate, increasing the risk of an electrical fire.
- Excessively tight or damaged motor bearings can heat up when the furnace starts. Without the proper lubrication, the bearings could eventually light on fire.
Blocked Furnace Flue
Yard waste, animal nests and other materials can block the furnace flue, reducing oxygen. This results in soot accumulation and bad ventilation, lowering efficiency and raising the risk of flame rollout. Flame rollout is when fire escapes the heat exchanger and burns the parts inside your furnace. If this problem remains, your heating equipment could be severely damaged, and the fire may even spread to areas outside the furnace.
Obstructed Heat Exchanger
The heat exchanger is a sealed combustion chamber where the heat produced by your furnace transfers to the air circulating through your home. A heat exchanger clogged up with soot or corrosion has the same result as a blocked furnace flue—reduced performance and an increased risk of flame rollout.
Cracked Heat Exchanger
Various problems occur if corrosion cracks the heat exchanger. First, it affects suction in this chamber, resulting in less airflow and increased flame rollout. Second, it emits fumes, like carbon monoxide, into your home. Inhaling CO gas can be deadly, so never dismiss your carbon monoxide alarms. CO gas can also flash back to the source of the leak and ignite if a flame is lit.
Improper Gas Pressure
Furnaces depend on an accurate combination of natural gas and air to produce safe and efficient combustion. Too little pressure is often because of clogged burner orifices. This problem makes the burner flames more likely to roll out. It also causes unwanted condensation inside the heat exchanger, increasing the rate of corrosion.
Conversely, high gas pressure can lead to excessive heat in the furnace, which can cause the soot inside the heat exchanger to ignite. Such fires can readily spread to other areas.
How to Prevent Furnace Fires
Based on the different ways a furnace can catch fire, here are the steps you can take to avoid furnace fires:
- Replace the air filter consistently: Check the filter monthly and change it when it seems dirty or every three months, whichever comes first.
- Keep an eye on the furnace flue: Periodically check the exterior vent for obstructions and remove any you find.
- Don’t place combustible items near the furnace: Things such as cardboard boxes, paper, clothing and other combustibles should be kept more than 3 feet away from the furnace and all other heating equipment.
- Add a flame rollout switch: This safety system detects if a fire or hot exhaust gases are inside your furnace’s burner compartment. If the rollout switch trips, have your furnace inspected as soon as possible to diagnose and repair the problem before it results in a furnace fire.
- Request yearly furnace maintenance: It isn’t always easy to tell if your furnace is performing unsafely. Whether you notice warning signs or not, prioritize furnace maintenance every fall.
Schedule Furnace Services Today
Is it time for your annual tune-up? Do you need help taking care of a problem with your furnace? Whatever the reason, Comfortech Service Experts is here for you. Our HVAC pros can inspect, clean and test the system to ensure safe operation. If anything looks out of place, we’ll recommend a repair or a modification, offering you peace of mind that your furnace is unlikely to catch fire. For more info or to schedule furnace maintenance,
please contact your local Comfortech Service Experts office today.