Heating Services in Denver, CO

Yes. Any home with a gas furnace, boiler, water heater, fireplace or attached garage should have working carbon monoxide alarms, and Colorado requires them near sleeping areas in many homes with fuel-burning appliances. Carbon monoxide has no color or smell, and a cracked heat exchanger or blocked vent can let it into living spaces. Place alarms on every level and outside bedrooms, test them monthly and replace them on the manufacturer's schedule. The EPA's carbon monoxide guidance explains common symptoms. If an alarm sounds, get everyone outside and call 911 before anyone looks at the furnace.

Pulling and cleaning the blower wheel removes the packed-on dust that a quick once-over leaves behind. The blower wheel moves every bit of air through your furnace, and when its curved blades fill with debris, it moves less air, the motor works harder and the system loses efficiency. During a Fix-it 24/7 Furnace Deep Clean and Tune-Up, technicians take the blower wheel out and clean it, a step many companies skip or charge extra for. The technician also checks the system's operation and safety controls, so your furnace starts the Denver heating season clean and ready.

Leave the house right away and call your gas utility (Xcel Energy serves most of the Denver area) or 911 from outside. Don't flip light switches, use the thermostat, start a car in an attached garage or do anything else that could create a spark. Natural gas has an added odor that smells like rotten eggs, so most leaks are noticeable. Once the utility has made the area safe, a technician can find and repair the source, which is often a loose fitting, a failing gas valve or a cracked connector at the furnace or another gas appliance.

A light burning smell the first few times your furnace runs in the fall is usually dust burning off the heat exchanger and burners after months of sitting idle. It should fade within a few hours. If the smell is strong, lasts longer than a day, smells like hot plastic or electrical insulation, or comes with smoke, turn the furnace off at the thermostat and call for Furnace Repair. Those signs can point to an overheating motor, a wiring problem or something lodged in the ductwork. A Furnace Deep Clean and Tune-Up before the first Denver cold snap removes much of that built-up dust ahead of time.

Cold air from a running furnace usually means the burners aren't lighting or are shutting off early while the blower keeps moving air. Start with the easy checks: make sure the thermostat is set to heat and the fan is set to auto, not on, and replace a dirty filter, since restricted airflow can trip the furnace's high-limit safety switch. A tripped breaker, a closed gas valve or a furnace door that isn't latched can also keep the burners off. If the air stays cold, the cause is often a dirty flame sensor, a failed igniter or a clogged condensate line on a high-efficiency furnace, and it's time to schedule Furnace Repair.