In most houses, externally vented central furnaces fueled with natural gas pose no indoor pollution problem when properly designed and maintained. However, if there is a faulty exhaust system (like a blocked flue), or if there are cracks and leaks in the pipes or improper adjustment of the burner, or if there is lower air pressure indoors than outside, the furnace can create serious indoor air pollution. If you suspect incomplete combustion or leakage in a gas furnace or other appliance, call your local utility company or a heating contractor who can test carbon monoxide levels. Here are some things you can do to ensure gas furnace safety:
If you have an older gas furnace, install a supplementary induced-draft fan that reduces the possibility of backdrafting. There are also automatic shutoff devices that turn off the furnace if it begins to backdraft. You may want to think about buying a new, energy-efficient furnace.
If you're installing a new gas furnace, choose one of the more efficient models that uses an induced-draft system or brings outside air directly into the combustion chamber.
Have your furnace inspected and your chimney cleared of debris in the fall before starting up the heating system. Among things to look for are holes or open joints in the metal pipe and such obstructions as birds' nests, heavy accumulations of soot, or even pieces of masonry that have broken loose in the chimney flue.
Have a separate flue for each combustion device. Many chimneys are partially blocked because the pipe from a wood or coal stove has been brought into the same flue that vents the furnace. This dangerous arrangement could send gases from both furnace and stove into the house.
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