BOULDER, CO, Apr 25, 2024—Making your home as safe as possible is always a great idea. From railings on stairs to fixing any rot or decay, many homeowners have safety at the top of their minds. But what about unseen problems, like toxic gases?
“Problems with your chimney, mechanical devices on your heating appliance, and pressure within the home can all cause combustion spillage, the unwanted flow of combustion gases into your home,” explains Phil Boren, Broker Associate of RE/MAX of Boulder, Inc.. What’s the big deal? Present in these gases are toxic elements such as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides.
So how can you stay safe? “The best way to prevent spillage is to hire a professional – preferably one who specializes in building inspection, indoor air quality, ducting, chimneys and heating equipment – to do a yearly maintenance check of all your combustion appliances,” notes Boren. These appliances include a gas-fired furnace, boiler, or water heater, an oil-fired furnace, boiler, or water heater, and a fireplace.
What will the professional do? The service professional can check for heat exchanger leakage, evidence of start-up spillage, and condensation in the chimney. “Maintenance normally includes a tune-up, or in the case of a chimney, clearing it of debris and fixing cracks on the inside wall,” says Boren.
Check your home once a year to make sure you’re on top of it.
For more information on home safety, please contact RE/MAX of Boulder, Inc. at philboren@gmail.com, 303-441-5647, or RE/MAX of Boulder, Inc..
Phil Boren is a 26-year veteran real estate Broker and Realtor, specializing in consulting with buyers and sellers in Boulder, CO and along the Front Range of Northern Colorado. Held Real Estate Broker's license in Texas, California and Colorado; Managing Broker for over 200 agents and Brokers for Century 21 and RE/MAX franchises. Award-winning Realtor with experience in management, sales, marketing, relocation, appraisal, REO, BPO's, foreclosures, short sales; previously held the MAI designation from the Appraisal Institute. Experienced in both residential and commercial real estate and achieved the No. 14 individual ranking in the 5-state, Mt. States Region for RE/MAX International in 2001, based on sales volume. Received my BSBA in Finance and Real Estate from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, where he was a 4-year starter and 4-year football letterman for Hall-of-Fame coach, Lou Holtz.