Heating System: Why Your Furnace Has a Black Filtering Screen

Your furnace is one of those home appliances that work behind the scenes to ensure your home is a safe haven. With it, you're guaranteed a comfortable home regardless of the weather outside. For this reason, it only makes sense to take proper care of it. And yet, so many homeowners forget about their heating system until it comes to a crashing halt due to a dilapidating breakdown. This is likely because when a piece of equipment has been functioning properly for years, it's easy to assume that it's in good condition.

But just because your unit is humming and cycling the same does not mean that it's at optimum performance. There could be a festering malfunction wearing it down as the weeks go by. That's why proactive unit care is crucial; routine unit inspection and calibration ensure that even inconspicuous components like your filtering screen are well maintained. In this article, you'll discover what blackens your filtering screen and how heating system repair services address the root of the problem.

Dangerous Levels of Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide is a by-product of combustion which, in high quantities, is deadly. It is a colorless, odorless gas that, if inhaled, interferes with oxygen circulation throughout your body. That's why it's important to know if your furnace is producing excess carbon monoxide during combustion. Thankfully, a blackened filtering screen is a conspicuous telltale sign your heating system repair technician won't miss. The professional will recalibrate the equipment's combustion mechanism to ensure that carbon monoxide isn't leaking into your indoor spaces.

Black Mold

Another plausible explanation for a blackened filtering screen is the growth of black mold on its surface. If your home is located in a particularly humid geographic location, it's very easy for mold to grow around your home. This is because mold predominantly exists everywhere as mold spores just waiting to be sprouted by moisture.

Black mold growing on your furnace's filtering screen is a potential health hazard because it exposes your household to mold dust. Exposure to these allergens over an extended period can significantly compromise your family members' respiratory function. Scheduling routine unit inspection allows your repair technician to address the mold problem before it gets out of hand. They'll also recommend best practices that prevent condensation on the filtering screen.

Debris Accumulation

Since the furnace's filtering screen is meant to trap all the allergens floating in your indoor air, it's only natural that a layer of debris will form on its surface over time. And failure to routinely clean the filtering screen results in the blackening of this component. To prevent excessive debris build-up, you should commission routine furnace repair and let the technician clean the filtering screen on every appointment.

Now that you know the crucial role that air filtering screens plays, be sure to proactively keep them in top condition. For more information, turn to a company such as Ron's Heating & Cooling.


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