The safety authority says Carrier Gas furnaces produced between 1989 and 2011 had a design flaw that allowed CO to circulate back into the home.

Certain Carrier Gas furnaces, which are commonly used in B.C., have a design flaw that has caused several dangerous carbon monoxide exposures in the province, according to a Technical Safety B.C. report Thursday.

The safety authority launched an investigation after eight people were hospitalized in separate incidents because of carbon monoxide exposures caused by failures in the line of residential gas-burning furnaces.

Lead investigator Eric Lalli said Technical Safety B.C. is recommending owners of Carrier furnaces immediately install a CO detector and contact a licensed contractor to inspect their unit.

“These furnaces have the potential to release elevated levels of CO for some time before being detected, and British Columbians may not be aware of the potential hazard present in their homes,” he said.

Although the manufacturer stopped making these furnaces in 2011, the agency said many B.C. residents are still using the old ones. Technical Safety estimates there are hundreds of these furnaces still in operation, if not thousands, based on the response from gas contractors interviewed in 2020.

Carbon monoxide risks can include serious illness, severe side-effects or death.

Carrier Gas furnaces produced between 1989 and 2011 may require updates or repairs, so anyone who has one should call a licensed gas contractor, the report said.

The report found that the Carrier Gas furnaces during this time period had a common design feature that contributed to the failures, specifically, a problem with the polypropylene-lined secondary heat-exchangers. This component was found to be susceptible to corrosion, which interfered with combustion air flow, which in some cases produced CO.

Carbon monoxide was detected in occupied living spaces, having escaped the furnaces because of corrosion holes in the heat-exchangers or to corrosion blockage that allowed CO to circulate back into the home in certain venting configurations, according to Technical Safety B.C.

The investigation also found that the furnaces had failed within five to 13 years, and about 10 years on average despite a 20-year warranty.

The Carrier furnace warranty provided a replacement heat exchanger in the event of failure but the agency found that the replacement heat exchangers also had the same design and material deficiency as the original components and also failed.

The report makes three recommendations, including that the manufacturer provide general disclosure of the potential for elevated CO levels due to corroded secondary heat exchangers and provide instructions for prevention and early detection.

Technical Safety BC also recommends owners get their furnaces regularly tested for the the presence of elevated CO and that licensed contractors conduct combustion analysis, and inspect and repair affected heat exchangers as part of regular servicing of these affected units.

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