Appliance maintenance and safety

Keep appliances working safely between maintenance visits 

You can do a few simple things to help your gas appliances run safely and work well. 

• Keep the owners’ manual. It tells you how often to get service and what to look for if repairs are needed. 
• Know how to turn off gas appliances. The gas is “off” when the valve handle is sideways across the pipe.
• Keep products that can catch fire away from gas appliances.
• Keep the area around your gas appliances clear. Don’t block vents or pipes.
• Don’t store gasoline-powered equipment or vehicles, like lawnmowers or motorcycles, near gas appliances.
• Check with a licensed gas contractor before surrounding your gas appliance with furniture or stored items.
• Make sure your hot water tank is securely strapped to keep the water line and gas line from breaking in case of an earthquake. The BC Building and Plumbing Codes now require it, and contractors who install and service water heaters can do it for you.

Technical Safety BC generally recommends annual servicing and provides checklists of what to look for when servicing gas appliances, such as a furnace or boiler.

What should a service include?

In general, Technical Safety BC recommends that your contractor should: 

• check the safety controls, temperature set points, operation of thermostat
• check pressure switches and vent blower (if applicable)
• inspect burners and clean if required 
• in older models, oil the blower and motor and clean the burner

After the service, ask your gas contractor for a copy of their completed checklist. 

Furnace safety tips

• Check your furnace filter at least every three months and replace or clean it if it’s dirty.² It should be located near the blower fan and may be held in place by a clip. If there are pets or smokers in the home, you may need to check the filter more often.
• While changing the filter, you might want to inspect the furnace’s fan belt. If you see cracks or signs of wear, it may need to be replaced. Make sure to shut off the electricity at the furnace switch and the circuit breaker before inspecting or changing filters or fan belts. 
• If your furnace motor has oiling points, apply a drop or two of SAE 20 non-detergent oil every heating season (don’t over-oil).
• Don't store items against the furnace or keep flammable items in the furnace room, such as laundry, papers, boxes, solvents, propane cylinders or gasoline-powered equipment.
• Keep air supply and return vents throughout your home clear.
• Check the chimney and appliance vent system regularly to ensure the pipe is connected securely, there are no signs of damage and nothing has fallen into the base of the chimney or into the flue.

When to call a professional

If you notice these signs of trouble with your gas furnace or boiler, it may be time to call a licensed gas contractor for repairs or replacement:

• any continuous or intermittent odour, such as the “rotten egg” smell of natural gas or a sharp odour that may cause eyes to sting
• nausea, headaches, lethargy or other flu-like symptoms, which could be a result of carbon monoxide exposure
• frequent pilot light outages—keep in mind that newer gas furnaces may not have a standing pilot light—check your manual
• delayed ignition—mid- and high-efficiency furnaces have an intentional delay—check your manual
• a yellow or wavering flame
• excessive soot or damage on the appliance or vent system (white, brown or black streaks)
• too much or too little heat
• indications that the flame has “rolled out” of the furnace—scorch marks by the door or other opening

Technical Safety BC generally recommends annual servicing and provides a checklist of what to look for in a gas fireplace service. Here is a brief overview:

What should a fireplace service include?

In general, Technical Safety BC recommends that your contractor should:

• clean the interior of the glass
• inspect the burner, gas valve, ignition system, door gaskets, venting and air openings

After the service, ask your gas contractor for a copy of their completed checklist. 

Fireplace safety tips

• Keep the area around your gas fireplace clear of anything flammable, such as toys, clothing, plastics or paper.
• Glass panels can heat up quickly and stay hot after the fireplace is turned off. Keep small children, pets and combustible materials away, and consider installing a safety screen or a fire-resistant guard to keep young children from touching the glass.
• If you are doing construction or renovations, do not operate your gas fireplace until the area is thoroughly cleaned. Drywall dust and other contaminants may harm the fan, motors and burners.

When to call a professional

If you notice these signs of trouble with your gas fireplace, it may be time to call a licensed gas contractor for repairs or replacement:

• any continuous or intermittent odour, such as the “rotten egg” smell of natural gas or a sharp odour that may cause eyes to sting 
• nausea, headaches, lethargy or other flu-like symptoms, which could be a result of carbon monoxide exposure
• pilot light outages—keep in mind that some newer gas fireplaces may not have a standing pilot light—check your manual
• delayed ignition (slow to start up) or “booming” noises upon ignition
• excessive soot inside the fireplace or on the venting system (white, brown or black streaks)

What should a tankless water heater service include?

In general, your contractor should:

• check operating and safety controls
• test ignition and burner operation, clean as required
• examine vent connector and venting system
• flush out heat exchanger to remove hard-water deposits

Tankless water heater safety tips

• Inspect and keep the area around the water heater clear and free of flammable items.
• Check the fresh air supply vent (outside) for blockage such as dust, garden debris, snow, etc. and remove build-up with a vacuum cleaner or damp towel.
• Wipe the outside surface with a damp towel to remove dust.

When to call a professional

Call a licensed gas contractor for service if you notice these signs of trouble with your gas tankless water heater:

• water leaking from the unit or piping
• dust or soot around the exhaust vent at the top of the unit
• abnormal sounds during operation