Simple Steps Can Keep Your Home Safe From Carbon Monoxide

When those first Texas northers blow through Abilene, the last thing you want is a heating system that leaks deadly carbon monoxide. This invisible, odorless gas can quietly build up in your home and become fatal within minutes. State officials are urging every homeowner to have their heater inspected by a licensed Texas air-conditioning and refrigeration contractor before temperatures drop.

Why It Matters

Your furnace or heat pump works overtime through scorching summers and freezing winters, and that stress can crack heat exchangers, loosen gas lines, or clog vents. Even a small leak can send carbon monoxide back into your living space instead of safely outside.

Typical early symptoms, headache, dizziness, or nausea, can seem harmless until it’s too late. Installing combination smoke and carbon monoxide detectors outside every bedroom is one of the simplest lifesavers you can buy this season.

What a Licensed Contractor Should Check

According to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), a qualified technician should:

• Inspect gas connections for leaks and pressure problems
• Examine the heat exchanger and flue for cracks or blockages
• Test thermostats, wiring, and airflow
• Verify emergency-heat and defrost operations
• Clean coils, blowers, and replace filters

Homeowners can confirm licensing through the state database at www.tdlr.texas.gov, or call 1-800-803-9202 for assistance.

Don’t Get Left in the Cold

Whether your system runs on gas, propane, or electricity, schedule a checkup now, before that first blue-norther hits. Preventive maintenance costs far less than emergency repairs, and it could save your family’s lives.

As my son-in-law, who’s in the HVAC business, always reminds me: “It’s cheaper to maintain than to replace.” Wise words for every Texan getting ready for winter.

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