Yearly Archives: 2014

General Safety Issues

APRIL – ALCOHOL AWARENESS MONTH

CADD Announces 2014 NCADD Alcohol Awareness Month Theme –
“Help for Today. Hope For Tomorrow”
Alcohol Awareness – The Key to Community Change, Personal and Family Recovery
28 Years of Improving and Saving Lives Through Prevention, Treatment and Recovery

Each April since 1987, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) sponsors NCADD Alcohol Awareness Month to increase public awareness and understanding, reduce stigma and encourage local communities to focus on alcoholism and alcohol-related issues. This April, NCADD highlights the important public health issue of underage drinking, a problem with devastating individual, family and community consequences.

With this year’s theme, “Help for Today, Hope for Tomorrow,” the month of April will be filled with local, state, and national events directed toward educating people about the prevention and treatment of alcoholism. Local NCADD Affiliates as well as schools, colleges, churches, and countless other community organizations will sponsor a host of activities that create awareness and encourage individuals and families to get help for alcohol-related problems.

Alcohol use by young people is extremely dangerous—both to themselves and to society, and is directly associated with traffic fatalities, violence, suicide, educational failure, alcohol overdose, unsafe sex and other problem behaviors.

This year’s awareness campaign will place a special emphasis on underage drinking, a problem that costs $62 billion every year. The fact remains that alcohol is more likely to kill young people than all illicit drugs combined; even more startling: annually, over 6,500 people under the age of 21 die from alcohol-related accidents and thousands more are injured. 7,000 American kids are taking their first drink every day, all of whom are under the age of 16. One-fourth of children have alcohol-use disorders in their own family.

“Underage drinking is a complex issue,” says Greg Muth, chairperson of the NCADD Board of Directors, “one that can only be solved through a sustained and cooperative effort. As a nation, we need to wake up to the reality that for some, alcoholism and addiction develop at a young age and that intervention, treatment, and recovery support are essential for them and their families,” says Muth. “We can’t afford to wait any longer.” 

Of course, we understand that alcohol abuse is really a systemic problem affecting the entire country, including every demographic. To combat this, we must take strong preventive measures, but also be aware of the signs of alcohol abuse so as to identify and assist those with problems.

The signs are many, and not always apparent. Those that have an alcohol problem often neglect their responsibilities at home, work or school. They also drink while engaging in risky behaviors, such as driving. Abusers also commonly drink as a way to relax and “unwind,” all the while causing more problems because of their alcoholism. This abuse results in a high tolerance, and eventually can lead to physical/psychological addiction.

Alcohol abusers may become dependent on drinking. When they do stop, they often experience short-term withdrawal symptoms including anxiety, delirium, tremors and general difficulty performing tasks. For these abusers, alcohol goes from simply a way to relax, to a necessary activity in order to get through their everyday life. Some addicts become quite skilled at hiding their addiction until the inevitable unraveling takes place.

Whether a person decides to use alcohol or drugs is a choice, influenced by their environment–peers, family, and availability.  But, once a person uses alcohol or drugs, the risk of developing alcoholism or drug dependence is largely influenced by genetics.  Alcoholism and drug dependence are not moral issues, are not a matter of choice or a lack of willpower.  Plain and simple, some people’s bodies respond to the effects of alcohol and drugs differently. 

Research has shown conclusively that family history of alcoholism or drug addiction is in part genetic and not just the result of the family environment.  And, millions of Americans are living proof, based on personal, firsthand experience, that alcoholism and drug addiction run in families, plain and simple.

 Genes provide the information that directs how our bodies respond at the cellular level.  Research indicates that over 99% of our genes are the same and the 1% that are different account for visible differences (hair color, height, etc.) and invisible differences, such as our risk of diabetes, heart disease or addiction to alcohol or drugs.

Therefore, our health is the result of the interaction between genes and environment.  As an example, our risk of developing high blood pressure is influenced by both genetics and environment, including diet, stress, and exercise.   Certain diseases, like sickle cell anemia or cystic fibrosis, are caused by an error in a single gene.  However, most diseases, such as alcoholism and drug dependence, are considered genetically complex and involve variations in a number of different genes.

“Alcohol dependence and dependence on other drugs frequently co-occur, and strong evidence suggests that both disorders are, at least in part, influenced by genetic factors.  In recent years, researchers have identified numerous genes as affecting risk for dependence on alcohol and drugs.  These include genes involved in alcohol metabolism as well as in the transmission of nerve cell signals and modulation of nerve cell activity.”

Drinking alcoholic beverages affects different persons in different ways.  Some become very happy while others may see the “down side” of everthing.  Alcohol is a depressant, and certain genes in ones chemistry may indicate that they should not choose this as a way of relaxing.  Studies show that there are genetics involved, but I have known people who had problems with alcohol that had families that didn’t drink at all.  A physician once explained that some people enjoy drinking beer the same as others would enjoy a glass of tea.  

Many times you can’t get someone to seek help unless they want to get help.  Do what you can to encourage that person to find counseling or other programs; if it’s a young person, try to help them face the fact that they have a problem before they or someone else gets hurt. 

Sources: NCADD;  TheGazette 

 

General Safety Issues, Health Issues

Poole Gas Fitter Fined After Illegal Boiler Installations Put People In Danger

This article comes from the United Kingdom.  An illegal gas fitter from Poole has been fined after putting people in danger by breaching gas safety regulations.  It teaches us the lesson that we must hire competent, licensed contractors to install systems in our homes.  Colin Yeatman, who lives on Gort Road and traded as COB Plumbing Ltd, installed a hot water system, gas cooker and gas coiler at a new-build property in Poole during 2012, and fitted a gas boiler at a Broadstone house in 2010.

fIRE

However, although he was performing work on gas appliances, he was not qualified to do so. He left the appliances in a hazardous condition after falsely claiming to be on the Gas Safe register.

A council building inspector examined Yeatman’s gas work on the Poole property, and discovered that although COB Plumbing had been put down as the installer, the official documents used another gas engineer’s details.

A Gas Safe Register Investigations Officer took a look at Yeatman’s work and discovered seven different defects, two of which were found to put people at risk of injury and death.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) was told about the failings and discovered that neither Yeatman nor COB Plumbing were Gas Safe-registered.

Then, in 2013, the owner of the boiler in Broadstone noticed that the appliance was leaking. An engineer was called and identified a number of different defects. The HSE then discovered that Yeatman had used another firm’s details on the official documentation for the boiler installation, and that this other company had been registered as Gas Safe.

In a hearing on April 2nd in Bournemouth Magistrates Court, Colin Yeatman admitted four different breaches of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. He was fined £1,000 ($1,659) and will have to pay additional costs of £500 ($829). COS Plumbing also admitted four breaches of the 1998 regulations and was fined £10,000 ($16,589) with costs of £8,056 ($13,360).The regulations that Yeatman and COS Plumbing pleaded guilty to breaching are as follows:

  • – Regulation 3(1), which prohibits people from working on gas fittings if they are not competent to do so
  • – Regulation 3(3), which prohibits people who are not on the Gas Safe Register from performing work on gas fittings and pipework
  • – Regulation 3(7), which prohibits people from falsely claiming to be on the Gas Safe Register
  • – Regulation 26(1), which prohibits people from installing gas appliances in such a way as for the appliance to pose a danger to people
  • – Regulation 4, which calls for employers and self-employed persons to take reasonable steps to ensure gas work they control is performed by approved persons

Mehtaab Hamid, an inspector for the HSE, called Yeatman’s actions “quite deliberate”. He noted that the offender was aware that he needed to be Gas Safe-registered if he was to perform his work legally.

Mr Hamid said that Yeatman was not competent or qualified to work on gas appliances, but chose to do so regardless. The substandard work he performed put residents at risk, he added.

Gas Safe Register Chief Executive Russell Kramer advised people to check engineers’ ID cards when the engineer is fixing or fitting gas appliances.

This article was written by Kevin Burke on behalf of boiler breakdown cover specialists 247 Home Rescue.

First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues

Why Being A Lifeguard Is More Than Just A Name (Guest Post)

We love to think that being a lifeguard is just a name, and it has nothing to do with anything else other than the pool management. But if you think being a lifeguard is all about a teen in high school who is smeared with SPF 30 and stretching out in a chair, and all this lifeguard does is just double-checking on drowning children, you are totally wrong. This is because lifeguard is not just a useless title of a job. It has all the characteristics of being important. It’s a tough job, but yes, someone has to do it. 

So, you’ve finally decided that you want to make a career out of it, and you know you are proud to be called as a lifeguard? The thing is that you have to know that deep inside your heart; this is what you want. That is why we would like to tell you the importance of being a lifeguard. You are not just defending your own safety because every day when you go to work you are expecting the unexpected. That is why it is very crucial for someone who desires to become a lifeguard to go for a lifeguard training. The number one role of a lifeguard is to ensure that every swimmer at pools and public beaches have a safe environment. Lifeguards are advanced swimmers who are trained through swimming programs especially under International Lifeguard Training Program (ILTP). 

If you desire a job where you can make a difference every day and is full of challenges, the first thing you need to do is to apply for a lifeguard training with Jeff Ellis Management or with any other certified swimming programs. You will be trained about anything related to safety and rescue, public beaches and pool management, and your routine role as a lifeguard in monitoring all activities in the water. Other than that, you will also learn that instead of watching people from faraway, you will still need to interact with them by teaching swimming lessons and the safety rules.

Lifeguard1

Lifeguards are trained to be completely calm especially when it involves emergency rescue procedures. They are not just excellent swimmers; they are lifesavers. That is why you can see that whenever there’s an emergency where a swimmer is cramping, fatigued, injured, or at risk for any other unknown reasons, a lifeguard will dive into the water to save the swimmer. In some cases where it takes time for paramedics to arrive, a lifeguard will be the one performing the on-site emergency response. All of these are impossible to be performed if a lifeguard did not go through  lifeguard training. It also take a lot of confidence for a lifeguard to be able to do an evacuation and make a huge announcement should the place of recreation is not safe for public. 

Being a lifeguard is more than just getting the worst tan lines ever, or to smell like chlorine once you get back home. It’s about a commitment toward a responsibility of ensuring one’s life is secured while you’re on duty. If anything happens, you will be asked about it, and that is why getting the proper training will give you an insight of what exactly a public beach or pool management is. Since every day when you go to that same swimming pool or public beach, you get the chance to become the hero of the day. Does it sound interesting to you?

Note: We want to thank Mickey Colon of jeffellismanagement.com for this insight into exactly what it takes to become a lifeguard.  People who choose this profession will not only be working on the beaches, but protecting swimmers in college pools, city pools, and recreational centers.  It takes someone who can pay attention for hours to everything going on in and around the pool.  It does seem glamorous, but it is a very important job.  Knowing CPR and having the appropriate first aid equipment plays a huge part in saving lives.  pb

Eye Protection, General Safety Issues, Hearing Protection

RINGING IN THE FACTS ABOUT CELL PHONE OVERUSE (GUEST INFOGRAPHIC)

Our thanks to Ashley O’Connor for this infographic, which depicts potential health effects of excessive mobile phone usage. Basically, it shows different health problems we may get from over using our mobile phone.  First and foremost, as Ashley says, please do not use your cell phone to text while you are driving!  I will admit that I am among the 67% that checks my cell phone even if it hasn’t rung!  However, I am not addicted to using the phone or tablet. Most folks will tell you that they sometimes find it irritating to visit person to person with someone who is texting on their phone rather than participating in the conversation. Food for thought! pb

General Safety Issues, Health Issues

IT’S ALREADY APRIL – WHICH MEANS IT’S TIME FOR APRIL SAFETY OBSERVANCES!

Let’s get started on the list of April Safety Observances:  April 1st through April 7th is Medication Safety Week.  The next week, April 7th through April 11th is National Work Zone Awareness Week.  In addition, the monthly observances are Alcohol Awareness Month, National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and Injury Prevention Month.  Rounding out April observances for safety is Workers’ Memorial Day, April 28th.  So, we are going to have a lot to think about this month.  Hopefully,  these monthly reminders will help us all stay safe.  Because we are already into Medication Safety Week, let’s focus on that issue.  Here are good ideas that would work well for anyone who takes several prescription medications: 

  • Be sure to keep all prescriptions filled — It is important to have all current medication on hand and to dispose of old prescriptions and medicines every other month to avoid taking anything that’s close to or past its expiration date.
  • Make a list of medications — Compile a comprehensive list and have complete understanding of what each medication does. If you are unsure about a medication, ask the physician who prescribed it for more information. This list should be available to each physician the patient visits.  Find out what time of day to take each medication; some work well in the mornings, and others work better before bedtime.
  • Use a pillbox to help remember when each medication should be taken — To reduce “pill burden,” organize medications in a simple pillbox with separate compartments for each day of the week. A schedule should also be available in print form to double check the accuracy of the pillbox.
  • Do not take medication that is not prescribed — Medications that are not prescribed by a medical professional can have unintended side effects on one’s health and other prescriptions. Also, it is vital to continue to take all medication for the duration prescribed, even if the condition improves. (Do not take someone else’ prescription drug.)
  • It is not safe to mix alcohol and prescription medications — This combination can be especially dangerous when taking medicine for sleep, pain, anxiety, or depression.

Below are some good ideas for monitoring the meds you are given: 

1. Store medicine in a dry and cool place.

2. Always make sure to read medicine labels carefully. Be sure to notice what side effects may occur taking that particular medication.  Note any additional instructions on your prescriptions and ensure that they’re followed as directed. Some medicines are supposed to be taken on an empty stomach, others should be taken with food.

3. Always consult with a doctor before taking supplements.  Some of these supplements are made from natural ingredients; however, they still may be hazardous for certain types of people (such as those who are pregnant and individuals with liver or kidney problems).

4. Keep all medications out of the reach of children.  Children may become victims of accidental overdose of prescription medicines, due to the fact that they either found something in a purse, on an open counter, or an unsecured medicine storage cabinet.  Don’t take chances.

Last, but not least,  driving under the influence of certain medications (prescription or over-the-counter) can be very risky.   It is a fact that it is as dangerous as drinking while driving, or texting while driving.  Regardless of whether the driver is a teenager or senior citizen, persons should not get behind the wheel if they are  not completely alert.  Also, if you work with machinery, don’t take any type of medication that causes you to become drowsy.

Let’s not abuse medications, only take them for the intended purpose.  With your physician’s approval, exercise and proper diet, monitoring blood pressure, and other methods can possibly lower the need for medicines.

Back Safety, Ergonomics, Eye Protection, Fall Safety, General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, Head Protection, Health Issues, Hearing Protection, High Visibility Safety, Respiratory Safety

Fatal and Non-Fatal Injuries In The Workplace

This interesting infographic is from Rebecca Fox, of Westermans International, a UK-based welding company.  We appreciate this shared information and can learn what illnesses are prevelant in their respective industries.   

General Safety Issues

HAVE A HAPPY APRIL 1ST! TIP: DON’T BE FOOLED!

Probably every one of us, sometime, has been the victim of an April Fool’s Day prank.  It all starts in our youth, and continues through the work years.  A little teasing at work is fun, and starts the day off with everyone in a good mood, unless the victim isn’t so amused! Here are a few “tame” suggestions from April Fool Zone that would be fun and harmless: 

Clipped:  Make some copies of a paperclip. Then put them into the paper tray of the copier. People will go nuts trying to find the paperclip stuck in the printer.

Kidnapped:  Take an item from the victim’s office (something they use a lot such as a special coffee cup, stapler, pencil cup, etc.). Take a picture of the item and leave it on the victim’s desk (in the same spot where the item was located), along with a “ransom” note.

No Comprende:  Borrow the victim’s cell phone when they aren’t around and change the language setting to a foreign language. Then watch and laugh as they struggle to translate the setting instructions on their phone.

Weakling: Steal all the victim’s pens and replace them with pens that have the caps glued on them.

 The main thing is: don’t take too much time to plan and pull little pranks; after all, you are on someone’s time clock! 

There is always a possibility of horseplay at work, even in a small group, but we have come a long way over the years –there is less  horseplay today than there was many years ago.  No doubt you’ve heard of the simple little jokes that were usually pulled on new employees, such as sending them to the tool room for a left-handed monkey wrench or even a sky hook.  (Which reminds me: while new at my job as an oilfield construction secretary, one of my duties was to call supply stores for parts that our crews radioed in for me to order.  The “sky hook” was one that was often requested at first; but when I first fell for it, the kind person at the supply store would explain to me that that was a little joke they were playing on me.)  Learning what parts were actually real and others imaginary, was a learning experience, and one done in good fun.

There is a time and place for a few pranks, but should be only those that don’t hurt anyone.  Pulling a chair out from under someone is not a prank, that is a mean trick, and can possibly injure them.  Bullying is not a part of horseplay.  Horseplay is defined in the dictionary as rough or boisterous play.  Sometimes it becomes much more than just “play” – it can easily get out of hand!  In additional to the usual possibility of serious injury to the worker, the horseplay will also interfere with production.  We don’t want employees to suffer injury, nor do we want production to suffer.

Placing safety posters throughout the workplace can also be an incentive to workers to always remember, “Safety First!”  Remember this throughout your working years: don’t pull anything on someone that you wouldn’t want done to you.  The most important thing is for every worker to be safe on the job.  Don’t try to make a fool of anyone, as you may turn out to be the foolish one!

Eye Protection, Fall Safety, First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, Head Protection, High Visibility Safety, Protective Clothing, Respiratory Safety, Weather Protection

SEARCHING FOR MUDSLIDE VICTIMS; LATER SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS

The Washington State area devastated by a mudslide Saturday, March 22nd, has seen much clear-cut logging.  Native American tribes and environmentalists have long warned that clear-cut logging could raise the risk of landslides.  Although the mountain ranges of the Pacific Northwest may appear solid and stolid, they are a geologically active part of the physical environment, including regular earthquakes, landslides, and the occasional volcano. Sometimes, human activities – including the clear-cut logging that patch-marks much of the region – have an important impact on forests, soils, and water patterns. 

The massive mudslide that hit  Saturday, March 22,  about 55 miles northeast of Seattle was part of that picture, all but wiping out the community of Oso across the North Fork of the Stillaguamish River.  As rescue and recovery efforts continued Friday morning, officials reported that the number of confirmed dead remains at 17 with another nine bodies located but not yet recovered. Ninety more individuals are still unaccounted for – large numbers in a small community of around 180 people.

The demand for lumber, plywood, paper, and other wood products is part of an industry that once dominated Washington State and Oregon.  Logging’s impact has been a concern for a number of years. Large, older trees take up more water than younger stands, which can take decades to mature and may be cut down before they reach full maturity. The Tulalip Tribes were so concerned with landslides hitting the Stillaguamish River and its prime salmon habitat that they blocked a proposed timber sale above an earlier slide in 1988.”There were some very large clear-cuts planned for that area, which made us very concerned,” Kurt Nelson, a hydrologist with the tribes, told KUOW, the NPR affiliate at the University of Washington in Seattle.  “That reach of the North Fork has multiple, ancient, deep-seated landslides,” Mr. Nelson said. “There’s a lot of unstable terrain in that area.”  Landslides have followed logging in that area at least four times, KUOW reported.

“This had been known at least since the ’50s as one of the more problematic areas on the Stillaguamish for perennial landslides,” Mr. Kennard,  (Geomorphologist Paul Kennard, who worked for the Tulalip Tribes in the 1980s and now works for the National Park Service at Mt. Rainier) reported.  Although state logging regulations have been tightened in recent years, The Seattle Times reports that a clear-cut nine years ago “appears to have strayed into a restricted area that could feed groundwater into the landslide zone that collapsed Saturday.” 

Heavy rains and winds are hampering rescue efforts, by both professional rescue teams and volunteers. The careful use of heavy equipment, helicopters, and other means of rescue continue.  Personnel are wading through debris, muck, trees, ice, and foul water.

 Meanwhile, the request by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) for more federal assistance to help with recovery efforts in the Oso area has been approved. The money will be used to help local and state government agencies recover a portion of the estimated $4.5 million expected to be spent on emergency response, protective measures, and debris removal. Safety precautions should be used by all; pros and volunteers.  Wearing respiratory protection, gloves, goggles, hardhats, and protective clothing is important for the safety of those exposed to all types of hazards.

At his briefing Friday, Snohomish County Fire District Chief Travis Hots asked corporations and businesses in the region to donate money to help those affected. “Some of these people have lost their homes, some have lost their cars, some have lost their entire family,” he said. “Funerals will have to be paid for. Please dig deep.”  Chief Hots is the spokesman for search and recovery efforts.

 

Source: Christian Science Monitor, Associated Press

General Safety Issues, High Visibility Safety

SAFETY VESTS AREN’T JUST FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS (GUEST POST)

Safety vests are familiar sights in construction zones. A variety of reflective models, including lightweight, mesh and multi-colored versions, help workers increase their visibility and maintain on-the-job safety every day. While construction workers may first come to mind when thoughts turn to safety vests, this critical protective gear is also used in a number of other industries and activities.

On the Road
Between the ongoing need for highway infrastructure improvements and increased traffic construction due to population growth, night work is becoming increasingly prevalent on the roadways. While contact with construction vehicles, objects and equipment is the leading cause of death for workers in highway construction zones, these fatalities are preventable through the implementation of best safety practices, including safety vests.

Safety Vests Arent Just For Construction Workers 1

Whatever their shape and size, safety gear cannot be underestimated.

According to the National Safety Council’s 2011 Injury Facts report, there were just under 700 deaths and 29,000 work zone crashes in a single year period. Safety vests reduce traffic fatalities by helping drivers more easily see workers during the evening hours, when visibility is significantly impaired.

But it’s not just construction workers who are injured or killed on the highway. Traffic flaggers, as well as first responders, such as police officers, EMTs and firefighters, rely on safety vests for road safety. Additionally, federal regulations now require media personnel to don safety vests when working on federal rights-of-way because of struck-by accidents. Airline and traffic controllers don safety vests for the same important reason.

Emergency Situations
Police officers, security guards and other public officers face many hazards every day. Personal safety is a critical imperative, and safety vests are a critical component. Reflective safety vests help law enforcement personnel, as well as security and patrol officers, identify their presence during emergency situations, which can help protect them and prevent catastrophic accidents.

Safety Vests Arent Just For Construction Workers 2

You can’t see very well. The driver can’t either.

For the Sport of It
Safety vests aren’t just for members of the workforce. In fact, they are a valuable precautionary method for a number of different sports enthusiasts, including cyclists and joggers, who may otherwise be unseen by passing cars. Motorists aren’t the sole threat to humans, however: the majority of states require game hunters to don safety vests for increased visibility to other hunters. In fact, wearing a blaze orange reflective vest during game season has the potential to save lives, and areas which enforce blaze orange safety requirements have seen reductions in hunting accidents.

While a safety vest is just a safety vest to some people, it’s an invaluable safety precaution for others at work and at play. Many construction industry insurance policies prioritize their use, as does OSHA for flaggers and other workers in construction zones. In short, safety vests are a critical partner in increasing safety, reducing accidents and enhancing peace of mind for many members of society.

Joanna Hughes writes on all subjects, ranging from lifestyle to workplace safety.

General Safety Issues

WHY YOU SHOULD LEAVE FURNACE REPAIR WORK TO THE PROFESSIONALS (GUEST POST)

For the savvy DIY home-owner, no project seems too big to tackle on your own. Plumbing, roofing, landscaping, and flooring may have all been conquered, and even some basic electrical work isn’t too frightening if you take the proper precautions. But there are a few projects that even die-hard DIY’ers should steer clear of, and working with your home heating system is one of them.

Here are a few of the many situations in which working with your furnace can end badly, and why you should just call out the professionals in the first place.

If It’s Not Done at All

If you’re not a trained expert, you don’t know what problems you may be looking for when you do the recommended annual check. If you don’t know what your furnace should look and sound like, you won’t know what isn’t supposed to look or sound like either.

If a problem isn’t caught in time, any number of dangerous situations could occur, including carbon monoxide leaks, fires, and explosions…all of which can be potentially fatal. So if you don’t know the parts of your furnace well enough to tell if they’re damaged or functioning properly, don’t try to diagnose the problem yourself. Call in professionals or your local heating company and have them perform the annual maintenance check on your furnace instead.

If It’s Diagnosed Wrong

If you hear strange noises coming from your furnace or start smelling gas, you’ll know there’s something wrong, but that doesn’t mean you’ll know what. Diagnosing the problem right the first time is essential when you’re dealing with your heating. If you guess wrong, you’ll be tampering with gas lines and parts that might be functioning perfectly, and damaging them will only lead to more extensive, expensive problems.

Further, while you’re busy trying to repair something that isn’t broken (or trying to fix the broken part but going about it the wrong way), the real problem may only be getting worse. Delaying proper care only increases risks of fire and CO2 poisoning, which kills over 200 people every year, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

If It’s Done Improperly

Even if you manage to get the diagnosis right, there’s no guarantee that you’ll be able to fix it. Furnaces are complicated machines—it’s not as simple as unclogging a toilet or landscaping a flowerbed. With many DIY projects, there are multiple ways to fix the problem. With other projects, you don’t have as much freedom. With a furnace, there is one right way to fix each problem. And if you don’t do it right, you’ll only compound the problems. At best, you’ll only delay the need for real maintenance. At worst, you’ll ruin your entire furnace and have to replace it completely.

If It’s Too Much to Handle

Getting halfway through a project and not knowing how to finish can be one of the most frustrating problems to run into as a DIY’er. And some projects are definitely more complicated than others. Furnace repairs will be one of those times you wish you had just called in the professionals—it might not seem like challenging work at first, but it’s more complicated and risky than it looks.

Some potential problems with your furnace include:

  •                   Dirty Burners
  •                   Leak in Gas Line
  •                   Cracked Heat Exchanger
  •                   Poor Venting
  •                   Failed Thermocoupler

If you’re like most of the world, you probably don’t even know what each of those parts is, much less where they’re located or how to fix them. Don’t risk getting stuck with a furnace that’s half-taken apart with no way to put it back together.

Signs to Watch Out For

If you’re not in the habit of checking your furnace regularly, here are a few signs to watch out for that might indicate that it needs maintenance.

  •         The furnace isn’t producing as much heat as it usually does
  •          Funny clicking or rattling noises
  •          The pilot light goes out consistently or won’t light at all
  •          The burner flame is yellow instead of blue
  •           Your gas or electric bills are going up
  •           Your furnace is over 20 years old          

Some projects can be done by the average homeowner; however, others need more professional care to avoid potential hazards that could severely damage your home or health. So if you suspect that your furnace needs maintenance, call your local Los Angeles or Edmonton furnace repair and get it checked out—don’t try to do it yourself. The risks aren’t worth it.  

 Connor Adkins  enjoys helping people stay fit and healthy. He also enjoys DIY projects, landscaping his yard, and spending time with his wife and three children.  Connor wrote this article for Always Plumbing and Heating.