Question: The flame on the burners of my gas stove recently turned orange. They used to be blue. Is that a problem?
Answer: Your gas flame should be blue with an orange tip. If it is orange stop using the stove immediately. The cause could be incomplete combustion, which will put carbon monoxide (CO) into the air. Make sure your carbon monoxide detector is working properly to alert you to a problem.
Your burner may be clogged or the gas supply outlet under the burner near the knob might need to be cleaned, but whatever the cause, you should have a professional look at it, as they have the proper pins to clear any clogs, and they also can adjust the air/gas ratio to give to a perfect flame once more.
One of our woodchucks had the orange flame problem, and after Googling it online, he discovered that a table-top ultrasonic humidifier caused his problem. Apparently, if you use tap water in the humidifier, it will put minerals into the air. These minerals will burn in a stove burner flame and cause it to turn orange. This can happen even if the humidifier is located in a different room. The solution is to use distilled or demineralized water in the humidifier.
Question: My wife says that if she sets the thermostat above the temperature she wants and later sets it down to that temperature the room will get to the desired temperature quicker.
Answer: A heating system actually takes the same amount of time to reach a certain temperature no matter to what the thermostat is set. The furnace works at the same speed regardless if you set the thermostat to 70 degrees or crank it up to 90 degrees. In both cases, it will take the same amount of time to hit the 70-degree mark. Turning it up higher to heat up faster actually defeats the purpose, as the mechanical equipment will work for a longer period of time to reach a higher temperature, thereby, consuming more energy and increasing heating costs. The same concept is true for air conditioning; set the thermostat to the temperature you actually want.
If you have suggestions for future tips or have questions about maintenance around your home submit them to ask.the.woodchucks@gmail.com
