Combustion appliances using natural gas, propane, oil, kerosene, or wood are often a more efficient and cost-effective way to produce heat than electricity.

Combustion appliances have been used for many years in millions of homes. However, careful installation and maintenance of each unit is required to ensure safe and efficient operation, especially in today’s energy-efficient, tightly sealed homes. Combustion appliances burn fuel by using oxygen from supply air. They produce exhaust gases that should be directly vented to the outside to avoid introducing combustion by-products into the house. Exhaust gases may be released inside the house either knowingly—as in the case of unvented stoves, ovens, fire-places, or space heaters—or unknowingly from leaky flues, cracked heat exchangers, or backdrafting.

CO detectors are highly recommended in homes with fuel-burning appliances. The detectors signal homeowners via an audible alarm when CO levels reach potentially dangerous levels. Some models have digital readouts of current CO levels, which are useful to the homeowner to monitor household air quality, while some less-expensive models indicate varying levels of CO with differing alarms. CO detectors are either plug in or hard-wired. They should be installed in rooms with a direct connection to combustion appliances, such as kitchens with fuel-burning stoves and ovens, areas near combustion closets for fuel burning heating systems, and rooms with fuel-burning space heaters.

All combustion appliances should be installed by knowledgeable technicians according to the manufacturer installation instructions as well as following all national and local code requirements.

References:

Combustion Equipment Safety Provide Safe Installation for Combustion Appliances. (Written and prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy by: Southface Energy Institute & Oak Ridge National Laboratory)