Post-Quake Danger Seen in Heaters

Just when you thought you had already dealt with all the problems in your house caused by the earthquake, the Gas Co. advises that with the onset of colder temperatures, Valley residents should examine the condition of their heaters to ensure that the quake didn’t cause vent connections to shake loose or soot to fall inside the vent.

Before you reach to turn the heat up another notch, Gas Co. officials say, check the color of your pilot light.

“Normally, pilot lights are a dark blue cone shape,” said company spokeswoman Michelle Bagley. “If a flame has turned orange, it is indicating that there is dust nearby and the vents should be cleaned before the heater is used.”

If the flame has turned yellow and flickers high and erratically, she continued, a qualified heating inspector should be called to check on the condition of the heater.

A yellow flame, Bagley said, indicates incomplete combustion, which means enough dust has entered the vent to prevent the natural gas from burning completely, thus releasing poisonous carbon monoxide into the air.

According to a recent study conducted by the Gas Co., an average of 20 people die each year from carbon monoxide emanating from their gas appliances.

Recently, a 7-month-old baby in San Fernando was treated for symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning caused by a heater with a vent crack believed to be caused by the quake.

The baby was not seriously injured, Bagley said, “but this occurrence is an example of the types of problems we’re concerned about.”

Because carbon monoxide is odorless, it’s difficult to detect. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are very similar to those of the flu.

“If, after you turn on your heater, you start to experience nausea, dizziness and headaches and there is no reason to suspect the flu,” Bagley warns, “you should not use your heater until it is inspected by a professional.”

Other good practices encouraged by the Gas Co. include regularly cleaning out the filter in a forced air unit, making sure all heating vents are properly ventilated, refraining from misusing a gas appliance not intended for indoor use and making sure only a qualified worker does any needed inspections or repairs.

Bagley suggested that people suspecting their heaters might be dangerous call a heating or plumbing contractor instead of relying on the gas company for an inspection.

“Because of the earthquake, we’ve received a lot of calls from people needing work on their appliances,” he said. “We’re swamped and wouldn’t be able to come out for a couple of days. This is a matter that needs immediate attention.”