CHANTILLY, VA, Mar 29, 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 Scott MacDonald, President of RE/MAX Gateway. 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 MacDonald. 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 MacDonald.
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 Gateway at scottmacdonald@remax.net, 703-652-5777, or RE/MAX Gateway.
RE/MAX Gateway is an award-winning real estate company serving Northern Virginia and the DC Metro area with four office locations. Agents are licensed in Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland.