Carbon monoxide is often called “the invisible killer.” It’s a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that – if not detected – can kill you.
So, you can imagine the alarm one Bloomfield Township family felt when they were told there was a dangerous leak in their home.
Their story is about safety, reassurance, and whether or not to shut down and replace their furnace in the middle of winter.
Dawn Lowery-Campbell of Bloomfield Township thought very highly of the heating and air conditioning company her family had a service agreement with for eight years -- until last August when the air conditioning service technician insisted they needed a new furnace.
The family decided to wait to buy one since they hadn’t had any issues with their furnace.
Then in February of this year, Dawn said the same technician came out for the annual furnace tune-up.
“So, he said, I found two cracks in your heat exchanger, and I'm detecting CO [carbon monoxide] in your home," Dawn recalled. "So, he shut it off. We were livid. We were confused,” she said.
Her family’s carbon monoxide alarm had never gone off.
She called the company – C&C Heating and Air Conditioning – and a second technician came that same day to check the furnace.
Dawn said he agreed with his co-worker that dangerous levels of CO were leaking in the home.
So, in the middle of winter – right before the big ice storm – they were without heat and worried about carbon monoxide poisoning.
Two days after their furnace was shut down, the family got another opinion from another company.
"They found that there were no cracks in the heat exchanger, and they said there was zero CO - carbon monoxide - in the home," Dawn explained.
Her family had bought three additional space heaters and two more carbon monoxide alarms, but she was still worried about CO poisoning. So, her family called the Bloomfield Township Fire Department to test for CO.
“They went down, ran the furnace, and they said it was zero," she said.
“Zero carbon monoxide?” I asked to confirm.
“Zero,” Dawn replied.
“At that point, what was your reaction?” I asked.
“We were furious because we went on to purchase all these heaters. And, you know, we were scared for our children and our pets and of course ourselves,” Dawn answered.
I asked the company for a comment. C&C Heating and Air Conditioning General Manager Dayna Hottle responded with this statement:
"We are aware of the complaint alleged by an area resident and deeply regret any misunderstanding that may have resulted from our work with this client. During the visit, our technician discovered two visible cracks in the heat exchanger. Per company policy, the technician documented the cracks in the heat exchanger of the furnace with pictures, noted the cracks, and tagged the furnace as a safety hazard.
C&C Heating and Air Conditioning places customer safety first and strictly abides by the American Gas Association policy that states any visible crack or hole discovered is reason for requiring the replacement of the heat exchanger or furnace. Out of an abundance of caution for our customer, our technician shut off the furnace at the furnace switch so the homeowner would not be potentially exposed to the byproducts of combustion, which may include carbon monoxide.
For 75 years, C&C Heating and Air Conditioning has been dedicated to keeping our community safe and providing quality service and will continue to act in accordance with industry and association best practices that serve to protect our valued customers and neighbors."
I confirmed with the Better Business Bureau that the company has an A+ rating, but is not accredited with the BBB.
"When a worker comes to your house and says there's a safety issue with a big ticket item in your home, that is cause for alarm. How does a family go forward to vet if that's really the case?” I asked Laura Blankenship.
“So if that's really the case, anytime someone says that there's a safety issue, you should immediately try to get a second opinion,” Blankenship said.
And even a third opinion, she added.
But the BBB says you should think about safety first.
DTE Energy says if you suspect a CO problem, leave your home immediately to get fresh air, seek medical assistance if necessary, and call 9-1-1. Don’t go back inside until it’s determined safe by a qualified professional.
Dawn said quotes for a new furnace ranged from $12,000 to $24,000 – a purchase her family ended up not making.
To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, DTE Energy and Consumers Energy recommend you take a number of steps including these:
-Place a carbon monoxide alarm on every floor of your home near any room where people sleep
-Replace the batteries in your CO alarm each spring and fall when you change your clocks
-Get appliances serviced by a qualified technician every year
And it’s not just your heating system you need to check. Also make sure you service your water heater and any other natural gas, oil, wood, or coal-burning appliances annually.
Bottom line, if you or your family are experiencing dizziness, nausea, headaches, lightheadedness, vomiting, or confusion.. You should your home immediately and call 911.
