Keep the Scares on the Front Porch: Furnace Safety and Carbon Monoxide Awareness This October

October brings pumpkins on the porch, sweatshirts by the door, and that first chilly morning when you finally reach for the thermostat.

Before your furnace settles into its busy season, give it a little attention. October’s focus on fire prevention is a good reminder that home comfort starts with safe heating habits—including protection from a hazard you can’t see or smell: carbon monoxide.

Your furnace can be warm—and still need attention

It’s easy to assume everything is fine when warm air comes through the vents. But warmth alone doesn’t tell you whether a fuel-burning furnace is operating safely.

Carbon monoxide, or CO, is a poisonous gas produced when fuel burns. Problems with heating equipment or its venting can allow CO to build up indoors. Because it’s colorless and odorless, you can’t rely on your senses to detect it.

That’s why a professional inspection matters—even when your furnace seems to be doing its job.

Don’t wait for the first freezing night

Between school activities, football games, and fall cleanup, furnace service can slide down the to-do list. Scheduling before colder weather arrives gives you time to address problems before you depend on your heat every day.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends an annual professional inspection of fuel-burning heating systems, including their chimneys, flues, and vents. Poor maintenance and defective or blocked venting can contribute to carbon monoxide hazards.

A professional inspection can help identify concerns that aren’t obvious from outside the equipment. Changing your filter is a useful maintenance habit, but it doesn’t replace an inspection.

Give your CO alarms a spot on the fall checklist

Furnace maintenance and working CO alarms are two separate layers of protection. Your home needs both.

Install CO alarms on every level and outside sleeping areas. Test them monthly, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for placement, battery care, and replacement. Check that you have actual CO protection—a smoke-only alarm won’t detect carbon monoxide.

Consider adding an alarm check to something you already do each month. A calendar reminder makes it one less thing to remember during a busy season.

Know when to get out and get help

Carbon monoxide poisoning can cause headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. Symptoms can resemble other illnesses, so don’t wait for certainty if you suspect exposure.

If your CO alarm sounds or you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, get everyone outside into fresh air immediately and call 911 from outside.

Don’t stay inside to find the source, and don’t reenter until emergency responders say it’s safe. A possible CO emergency requires emergency help—not a routine furnace service appointment.

Reaching for a space heater? Give it room

A portable electric heater can be tempting on a chilly morning, but where and how you use it matters.

- Keep it at least 3 feet away from curtains, bedding, furniture, and other items that can burn.

- Plug it directly into a wall outlet, never an extension cord or power strip.

- Turn it off before going to sleep or leaving it unattended.

These small habits help reduce heating-related fire risks.

If you’re regularly reaching for extra heaters because your furnace isn’t keeping your home comfortable, it’s time to have the system checked.

A little preparation now. More comfort this fall.

Your October checklist doesn’t have to be complicated: schedule furnace service, test your alarms, and practice safe heating habits.

Then get back to the good parts of the season—pumpkin carving, cozy evenings, and deciding which Halloween candy you’re keeping for yourself.

Call Comfort Pro at 1-800-937-3030 to schedule your fall furnace inspection. Keep the scares on the front porch.