The return of low temperatures increases your reliance on home heating equipment each fall. If your furnace isn’t working properly, it could grow to be a fire hazard and jeopardize your family’s safety.
As stated by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), heating systems like furnaces are a major source of home fires, leading to approximately 50,000 blazes, 500 civilian deaths and more than $1 billion in direct property damage every year. Space heaters and fireplaces start the majority of fires affecting heating equipment, but central heaters, such as furnaces, are liable for just about 12% of these blazes. Learn the most likely causes of furnace fires and how to minimize them.
Causes of Furnace Fires
Aging furnaces are more susceptible to safety hazards as they could be manufactured differently and fall into disrepair through the years. Still, whether your furnace is more than a decade old or brand new, you should know about these causes of furnace fires.
Overheating Motor
A furnace motor can overheat in various ways. Here are the biggest risks:
- A clogged filter can restrict airflow and force the motor to work more. Sooner or later, the motor can overheat, raising the risk of fire.
- Dirt can accumulate around and insulate the motor, forcing it to retain heat, which can lead to a fire.
- Exposed or corroded wiring can cause the voltage to get too high, increasing the risk of an electrical fire.
- Excessively tight or damaged motor bearings can heat up as the furnace is on. Without the appropriate lubrication, the bearings can eventually catch fire.
Blocked Furnace Flue
Yard waste, animal nests and other obstructions can clog the furnace flue, lowering oxygen. This leads to soot accumulation and weaker ventilation, limiting efficiency and increasing the risk of flame rollout. Flame rollout is when fire escapes the heat exchanger and burns the parts inside your furnace. If this problem continues, your heating equipment may be badly damaged, and the fire can spread to areas outside the furnace.
Obstructed Heat Exchanger
The heat exchanger is a restricted combustion chamber where the heat created by your furnace transfers to the air circulating throughout your home. A heat exchanger clogged up with soot or corrosion has the same impact as a blocked furnace flue—reduced performance and a higher risk of flame rollout.
Cracked Heat Exchanger
Several problems can take place if corrosion breaks the heat exchanger. First, it affects suction inside this chamber, triggering less airflow and increased flame rollout. Second, it emits fumes, such as carbon monoxide, into your home. Inhaling CO gas can be lethal, so never neglect your carbon monoxide alarms. CO gas can also return to the source of the leak and ignite if a flame is present.
Inadequate Gas Pressure
Furnaces require a precise 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 within 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 burn. Such fires can easily spread to other areas.
How to Prevent Furnace Fires
Based on the various ways a furnace can catch fire, here are the steps you can take to avoid furnace fires:
- Change the air filter regularly: Check the filter each month and change it when it seems dirty or every three months, whichever comes first.
- Check the furnace flue: Periodically check the exterior vent for obstructions and remove any you find.
- Don’t keep combustible items near the furnace: Things including cardboard boxes, paper, clothing and other combustibles should be kept at least 3 feet away from the furnace and all other heating equipment.
- Add a flame rollout switch: This safety component detects if a fire or hot exhaust gases are inside your furnace’s burner compartment. If the rollout switch triggers, have your furnace inspected promptly to diagnose and repair the problem before it produces a furnace fire.
- Request annual furnace maintenance: It isn’t always easy to recognize if your furnace is working unsafely. Whether you notice warning signs or not, prioritize furnace maintenance every fall.
Schedule Furnace Services Today
Is it time for your yearly tune-up? Do you need help resolving a problem with your furnace? Whatever the reason, Rolf Griffin Service Experts is here for you. Our HVAC experts can inspect, clean and test the system to provide safe operation. If anything seems off, we’ll recommend a repair or a modification, offering you peace of mind that your furnace is unlikely to catch fire. For more details or to schedule furnace maintenance,
please contact your local Rolf Griffin Service Experts office today.