There’s nothing more devastating than hearing about a local fire that has happened within your community. Every time I hear the public scanner go off I intend to listen to make sure that it is no one that I know. It’s scary to think that it could be someone that you know’s house or business that has caught fire. Last year there’s been a few homes within the area that have caught fire due to heating and cooling units. It’s such a shame but this month we have received a newsletter from the county that explains the different ways a heating and cooling system could catch fire. Some of these issues could be fuel lines and connections that become faulty which can result heat and fuel becoming highly flammable. Another issue is having items around the furnace. People don’t realize that crowding the furnace closet with other things like boxes, cleaning products, or anything else that needs to be stored can pose a very serious risk and could potentially catch fire as well. Making sure that the area around a furnace is clear is important! Another issue that can arise are electrical issues. The heating and cooling system heavily relies on electrical connections to heat and operate properly. If you have an older hvac system those connections can get old and become loose which can burn wires and cause a fire. It’s always important to make sure that you have a heating and cooling technician to come and do routine maintenance and take a look at your heating and cooling system to make sure it is not a fire hazard.