First off, if the answer to this question is undoubtedly “yes,” then we recommend taking some immediate action. Turn off your furnace, make sure your family is safe and secure, and call our team for emergency heating repair in Grand Rapids, MI. Smoke in your house, whether it’s coming from the oven or your furnace system, is never a good thing and can lead to detrimental health effects.
Sorry for the serious note, but we had to get that out of the way! For homeowners that might not be dealing with a pressing issue like this, or for those who are just curious, this blog post is dedicated to how a gas furnace works and why anyone would see smoke in their homes.
While furnaces aren’t designed to create smoke or be dangerous, they can run into problems that make them dangerous over time. Let’s talk about a few of those problems.
Where Does Smoke Come From?
This is an important question, and one that we’re going to use some old school science to answer. So, it’s time to take out those old chemistry textbooks and get to work!
We’re just joking, but smoke really is the product of the chemical reaction. When you burn wood or gas, there are many byproducts created. One of them is water vapor, depending on how moist the substance is that you’re burning. Another set of byproducts of combustion are carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, both of which can be dangerous to inhale. This is why you should never breathe in the smoke or fumes of a fire, no matter if it’s at a campsite or in your furnace.
The last byproduct of combustion is smoke, which is basically the remaining carbon of the burning material being thrust into the air. Smoke can vary in color and composition depending on the fuel that’s being burned, but it’s almost universally bad to inhale.
Smoke Should Always Be Exhausted Through the Port
Luckily, when gas furnaces are installed in homes, they’re set up with an exhaust port that can safely vent smoke, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and other fumes outside of your home. This exhaust port is usually easy to see, especially in the wintertime.
If the exhaust port gets clogged up, or if the vent connecting the furnace to the exhaust port springs a leak, then the fumes and smoke of combustion might not make it all the way outdoors!
You Should Never See Smoke Inside Your Home
Here’s where we get to the important bit of information. What should you do when smoke enters your home?
Now that you know what smoke is and where it comes from, we can talk about getting rid of it. The truth is that you’re going to require professional support in order to fix the problem that’s causing smoke. For instance, something could be caught in your furnace and burning, causing smoke to go into your vents. Or, your furnace could be overheating and components are starting to burn up.
Either way, we urge you to contact our team for professional help. And in the meantime, turn off your heating system and make sure you and your family are staying safe!
Contact GRMetro Heating and Cooling Inc for help with your smoking furnace.
