PEA RIDGE — Temperatures have already begun to dip below the freezing mark, and winter will soon be upon the residents of Pea Ridge.

The number one priority for taking care of your heating system, said Steve Guthrie of Guthrie’s Heating and Air, is the air filter.

“Change the air filter every 30 days, 60 to 90 days for a really good one,” he said. “Never run your system without an air filter.”

A bad filter causes lack of efficiency and risk of fire. Guthrie said new filters can be found at any hardware or home improvement store.

If a home is equipped with a heat pump, have Freon levels inspected and make sure the heating elements are operating properly.

For straight electric heat, the heat element should be working properly with no hot wires.

“Gas heat should be inspected annually, every fall, by a licensed heating and air contractor,” Guthrie said.

“(Inspectors should) check for cracks in the heat exchanger, check burners for rust and proper operation.”

With gas heat, signs of a cracked heat exchanger include excessive moisture on the inside of windows and carbon monoxide leaks.

Guthrie urges all homeowners with gas heat to also install a carbon monoxide detector.

“Carbon monoxide gas is odorless and colorless, it can cause headaches, nausea, dizziness and flu-like symptoms, and is deadly if exposed for prolonged periods of time. A carbon monoxide detector is your best line of defense.

“I changed a unit yesterday with a hole in heat exchanger. (Without fixing it) they probably would have experienced all the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. Most of the units built in the last 15 years have enough safety where they shut down and won’t work. This one wouldn’t work, it kept blowing out the pilot light,” Guthrie said.

Guthrie, who is also a firefighter, said modern furnaces are equipped with so many safeties, they are safer than a lot of other appliances in the home, such as clothes dryers, the number one cause of house fires.

Do not store gasoline or any flammable liquid around a furnace.

Guthrie warned also in times of outages, do not use a cookstove or oven to heat a home.

“They put off carbon monoxide also, they’re not designed to heat a house,” he said.

Two winters ago, during the ice storm that knocked out power in the area for a prolonged period, a resident in Bella Vista put a generator in his garage. He closed the door, fearing the generator would be stolen,and ran it to heat the house. Carbon monoxide leaked into the home, resulting in the death of the residents.

Guthrie said in times of outages, place the generator outside the home.

“Anything that burns fuel puts off carbon monoxide, whether it’s propane natural gas, gasoline - any fuel,” he said.

During inspections, Guthrie warned to always get a second opinion and at least two quotes when told a system needs replaced.

“Someone in Bella Vista said the heat exchanger on a house was condemned, the house didn’t even have one, they had a heat pump,” he said.

To run a more efficient system this winter, Guthrie offered some tips:

◊Close the vents around the exterior of the house to the crawl space that were most likely opened in the summer months for cooling.

◊ Seal around doors and windows and keep all inside vents open and free from obstruction.

◊Clean the air filters often and add more insulation to the home if necessary.

“In the summer, dirt daubers and wasps tend to build their nests in outdoor units,” he said. “That can stop combustion blower fans up.”

Guthrie’s Heating and Air provides all services homeowners may need in cold and hot months. Contact them at 451-8236.

“Mention you read this in the paper for five percent off,” Guthrie said.

News, Pages 1 on 12/08/2010