How many CO detectors do I need?

Iowa code and best practice call for one CO detector on every floor and near each sleeping area. Replace the entire unit every 5-7 years; sensors degrade even when they still beep.

Are space heaters safe?

Modern space heaters with tip-over and overheat shutoffs are safe when used correctly — on hard surfaces, with 3 feet of clearance, plugged directly into the wall, and never left unattended.

What should I do if my furnace fails in extreme cold?

Call for emergency service, open faucets to a slow drip to prevent frozen pipes, dress in layers, and gather everyone into one well-insulated room. Never use a gas stove for heat.

How do I know if my furnace is producing CO?

Working CO detectors are your primary protection. Other warning signs include yellow burner flames, soot around the furnace, and family members feeling sick at home but better away.

Winter Heating Safety Tips for Iowa Families

Heating fires and carbon monoxide incidents spike every winter in Iowa, almost always for the same handful of reasons. As HVAC pros serving Fort Dodge, Webster City, Humboldt, and Eagle Grove, we want every family in our community to know how to stay warm safely. Here are the most important winter heating safety practices for Iowa homes.

1. Install and Test CO Detectors

Carbon monoxide is colorless, odorless, and deadly. Every home with a gas furnace, gas water heater, fireplace, or attached garage needs working CO detectors near every sleeping area. Test monthly, replace batteries every fall, and replace the entire detector every 5-7 years — the sensors wear out.

2. Know the Symptoms of CO Exposure

Low-level CO exposure causes headache, dizziness, nausea, and fatigue — easily mistaken for flu in winter. If multiple family members feel sick at home but improve when they leave, get out and call 911. Don't re-enter until first responders confirm it's safe.

3. Keep Space Heaters Safe

Portable space heaters are the leading cause of home heating fires. Place them on hard surfaces (never carpet), keep 3 feet of clearance from anything flammable, never use extension cords, and turn them off when you leave the room or go to sleep. Only use heaters with automatic tip-over and overheat shutoffs.

4. Never Use a Gas Stove or Oven for Heat

During power outages or extreme cold, people are tempted to crack the oven door for warmth. This is a major CO hazard and leading cause of winter poisoning deaths. Use an approved indoor heater or get to a warming shelter.

5. Clear Furnace Exhaust Vents

After every snowfall, walk around your house and confirm the white PVC pipes for your high-efficiency furnace are clear of snow drifts. A blocked exhaust forces combustion gases back into the home or shuts the furnace off, leaving you without heat.

6. Watch for Yellow Burner Flames

Open the furnace cabinet (if it has a window) and check the burner color. Healthy flames are crisp blue. Yellow, orange, or flickering flames indicate incomplete combustion and possible CO production. Shut the furnace down and call for service immediately.

7. Keep Fireplaces and Chimneys Inspected

If you use a wood-burning fireplace, have the chimney cleaned and inspected annually. Creosote buildup causes chimney fires that spread to the rest of the home. Always use a fireplace screen.

8. Have an Emergency Plan

Know what you'll do if the furnace fails on the coldest night of the year. Have warm bedding, a charged phone, and our after-hours number saved (515-206-3232). Know your nearest warming shelter. If pipes are at risk of freezing, open faucets to a slow drip and open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls.

Get Professional Help

GERARDO HVAC offers safety inspections and emergency service across Fort Dodge, Webster City, Humboldt, and Eagle Grove. Call 515-206-3232 day or night.