Do You Need A Carbon Monoxide Detector With Oil Heat? [Plus More FAQs]
The short answer is this – any appliance or heat source that uses combustible sources of fuel requires a carbon monoxide detector. All furnaces or heating systems that burn fossil fuel produce carbon monoxide (CO), a silent but deadly gas. Whether you are utilizing natural gas or oil to heat your home, a carbon monoxide detector is a necessary part of your system. That said, many home heating experts view oil heat as one of the safest methods of heating your home. Let’s take a deeper look.
Read More: Does A Gas Furnace Need To Be Cleaned?
Why Do I Need A Carbon Monoxide Detector?
Carbon monoxide is known as a silent killer. It is a colorless, odorless, basically undetectable gas that is dangerous in any amount. When you breathe in CO2, it binds with the hemoglobin of red blood cells, and then it proceeds to take the place of oxygen. Breathing it in, in excessive amounts, will lead to oxygen starvation of the blood cells, which is technically called hypoxia, and it is fatal. Many people refer to this as carbon monoxide poisoning.
Do You Need A Carbon Monoxide Detector If You Don’t Use Gas?
Carbon monoxide is present in some amounts in the air that you breathe all around. It is a byproduct of the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels. Those hydrocarbon fuels include propane, coal, gasoline, and natural gas – even wood burning stoves.
Oil Heating And Carbon Monoxide
Excessive carbon monoxide releases from oil heat are luckily rare, although they can occur due to faults in the burner. But any leak should be taken seriously as carbon monoxide accumulation depletes available oxygen needed for breathing. So it is important to install a carbon monoxide detector to create an alert for any faults in the system resulting in excessive carbon monoxide.
Read More: The Pros And Cons Of Oil Heating
Do You Need A Carbon Monoxide Detector With Electric Heat?
The answer is – absolutely! Every home should be equipped with multiple carbon monoxide detectors. While your heating system can be the largest burner of fossil fuels, there are many other ways that carbon monoxide can enter your home – especially in the winter months.
- Room heaters
- Furnaces
- Charcoal grills
- Cooking ranges
- Water heaters
- Automobiles run in closed garages
- Fireplaces
- Portable generators
- Wood burning stoves
So while a home that is strictly heated by electric heat can eliminate one source of carbon monoxide, you can see that there are many other ways that this odorless gas can infiltrate your home.
Heating Oil Furnace Service In Broomall
The best way to ensure that carbon monoxide will not be a danger to your loved ones is to conduct an annual service of your oil heat furnace. And when you are talking about the safety of your family – you should only call the best technician with a long track record of installing and maintaining oil furnaces. If you are living in or near Broomall in Delaware County, the only folks to call are the experts at John Cipillone, Inc.
This family-run business with over 6 decades in residential heating, cooling and indoor air quality, has a reputation for reliable 24/7 service focused on keeping their customers comfortable and safe.