Electrical Safety

If you Smell Natural Gas or Propane

Gas Furnace Safety

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Info

Replacing  Fan & Limit Controls

If you Smell Natural Gas or Propane

• If you smell natural gas or propane, even if you don't have a gas line in your house -- report it to your natural gas supplier immediately. If the odor is strong, leave the house immediately and call your natural gas supplier from a neighbor's telephone. Do not use your own telephone. When you call, tell them where you are so you can let them into your house when they arrive.  

• A faint odor of natural gas indoors may mean a pilot is out on a gas appliance. Check it. You can correct this situation easily and safely. If you're not sure what to do, call for service. 

• Never use matches to look for gas leaks and never try to look for the leak yourself. Don't flip a switch, since they can create sparks, and don't use any other electrical equipment. If the odor is strong, leave the house immediately.

Gas Furnace Safety

• Repeated pilot outages could indicate a hazardous condition. Don't attempt to re-light the pilot or service the equipment.  Call for service.

• If your appliance has been flooded, shut off the gas immediately. Do not use your gas system again until the wet or flooded equipment has been checked and serviced.

• Do not store combustibles near your furnace.

• At the first indication of incomplete combustion (yellow flame instead of blue, or soot present), call for service  immediately. Improper combustion can cause carbon monoxide buildup which is potentially fatal!
   

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

• Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: Although there may be no problem in your house, you should be alert to the causes of carbon monoxide poisoning. Common causes of carbon monoxide poisoning are malfunctioning heater vents or clogged chimneys. They should be checked occasionally to make sure they are free from obstructions. Your heater also releases water vapor that must get out through a vent or chimney. Otherwise, moisture in the chimney can cause gradual erosion of the chimney. If you have concerns, get expert advice from a qualified source.

• Carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms can include dizziness, nausea, headache, weakness, loss of muscle control, chest tightness, heart fluttering, sleepiness, redness of the skin, confusion, vomiting and diarrhea. Carbon monoxide poisoning should be suspected if more than one member of the family is sick and if they feel better after being away from home for a period of time.

• People who suspect they have been exposed to carbon monoxide, should immediately seek fresh air, if symptoms linger, they should see their doctor quickly.

Special Skills Needed to Replace Fan & Limit Controls

• Many of the fan limits that Lennox specifies for replacement in older furnaces look nothing like the original fan/limit control. The fan/limit control is the primary safety control on most older furnaces. Replacing a fan/limit control safely requires good wiring skills and the ability to read and interpret the wiring schematic for your furnace. If you do not possess these skills, you should have this repair done by a professional. Your life could depend on it!

If you are replacing your old control with a new control that is manufactured by Honeywell:

• Most Honeywell brand fan/limit controls are shipped from the factory with a jumper factory installed between the fan side and the limit side of the control. In most cases, this jumper has to be removed when it is installed into the furnace. Failure to understand the instructions and wire the control correctly can result in damage to your furnace and possibly inhibit the proper operation of the safety control. Only skilled persons should replace the fan / limit control.