Northern Air HVAC

As the weather started to cool in October, we received a call from an elderly member of our community who noticed smoke coming from her furnace. Understandably concerned, she also called the fire department.

Our team at Northern Air arrived quickly to make sure she and her home were safe. What we found was something we’ve seen before, but it never gets easier to think about what could have happened. An animal had built a nest inside the furnace, completely blocking the exhaust system. When the heater was turned on for the first time that season, the blockage caused smoke to pour out of the exhaust flue on the side of her home.

After carefully removing the debris, we replaced the damaged exhaust motor and collector box, then restarted the furnace. Everything looked normal at first—ignition was smooth, the flames burned blue, and the temperature rise was within range. On the surface, everything seemed fine.

But at Northern Air, “seems fine” is never where we stop.

The next step in our process is to test the exhaust gases for safety and efficiency, including carbon monoxide levels. That’s when we discovered the real danger. The carbon monoxide readings were not only unsafe—they were so high that they began to damage our testing equipment.

At that moment, the furnace was technically functional, but it was far from safe.

We shared our findings with the homeowner and walked her through the options. In this case, the necessary repairs would have been so extensive that replacement made more sense—both financially and for her long-term peace of mind. We installed a new, efficient furnace that now runs cleanly, safely, and reliably.

Why We Do This Work

Stories like this remind us that HVAC isn’t just about heating and cooling—it’s also about protection. It’s about knowing that the air in your home is safe to breathe, that your system won’t fail when you need it most, and that you can sleep soundly through a cold night.

Every system we check, clean, or replace carries the same priority: the safety and comfort of the people we serve.

We’re proud that this customer now has a furnace that will keep her warm for many winters to come—and we’re even more grateful that she trusted us to be there when she needed help most.

Northern Air HVAC
Clean air. Comfort you can trust.