Originally from Chicago where old apartments have radiant heat and newer homes have central heat, it wasn’t until I lived in a 50+ year old building in California that I ever heard about "floor furnaces." A floor furnace is a gas furnace installed beneath the floor, that uses a pilot light to heat air. The heated air escapes through a metal grill installed in the floor.
Last winter, I turned on the floor furnace in my living room. Dust, particulate matter, and smoke was “coughed” out by the furnace. Moments later, a combination smoke and carbon monoxide detector belted out an incessant, blaring noise. I disarmed the detector, turned off the furnace, and thinking that this was simply an aberrant occurrence, waited five minutes only to experience the same thing but with another smoke detector being activated.
I called the property management company and asked for a furnace inspection. Two technicians came out, turned off the gas, vacuumed the unit, and remarked that the “inspection cap” was “missing” and that a replacement would need to be found. Given that these furnaces are old and outdated, finding a replacement inspection cap requires some ingenuity by the vendor.
Net, net, due to the issues with the furnace, the vendor recommended that PG&E inspect the furnace for gas leaks. Eventually, the duct work for the furnace was replaced and the vendor asked PG&E to reinspect the furnace. This process took 3-months of inspections, repairs, and re-inspections and I finally had PG&E shut off the gas to the furnace since we were approaching the summer months and since I learned that the pilot light in the furnace is always on and increases the indoor temperature by up to 10 degrees. Since having the gas turned off, the apartment has been far cooler in summer and saved me about $20 per month on my PG&E bill. And, I have covered the grill to prevent dust and debris from falling into the furnace.
But, this was the first time in 5 years that the furnace was ever inspected and it was inspected only upon my request!
In 2007, the California assembly considered a bill to change Cal. Civ. Code section 1941.1 to outlaw floor furnaces using wording as follows:
2007 Proposed Change to Cal. Civ. Code sec. 1941.1.
(a) A dwelling shall be deemed untenantable for purposes of Section 1941 if it substantially lacks any of the following affirmative standard characteristics or is a residential unit described in Section 17920.3 or 17920.10 of the Health and Safety Code:
(d) Heating facilities that conformed with applicable law at the time of installation, maintained in good working order. On and after January 1, 2014, a floor furnace as defined in Section 1103.50 or any unvented furnace or heating facility located in the floor of the dwelling shall not be considered as conforming to applicable law.
The bill died later that year and the law currently reads as follows:
Cal. Civ. Code sec. 1941.1.
(a) A dwelling shall be deemed untenantable for purposes of Section 1941 if it substantially lacks any of the following affirmative standard characteristics or is a residential unit described in Section 17920.3 or 17920.10 of the Health and Safety Code:
(4) Heating facilities that conformed with applicable law at the time of installation, maintained in good working order.
While replacing all floor furnaces was briefly considered by the legislature, their consideration does point out the possible safety risks with these heating devices. If you have a floor furnace, ask the owner or property manager to conduct a yearly inspection, turn off the gas in summer and have it turned on in winter, or ask PG&E to do the inspection and turn/on off the gas. PG&E will provide you with an inspection report that you can provide to the owner or property manager.
Be sure to cover the grill when the gas is not turned on (summer) and to vacuum out the floor duct before the gas is turned back on (winter). Keep furniture away from the furnace and ensure that the detectors in your apartment will detect carbon monoxide as well as smoke and fire.
Interestingly, after my furnace was inspected, repaired and re-inspected, the owner had separate smoke and carbon monoxide-detectors installed in every apartment in the building. As well he should since all apartments in my building all have gas furnaces and inspections have been one-offs.
For more about floor furnaces read: http://www.propertyevaluation.net/Tech%20-%20Floor%20Furnace%20-%20CREIA%20Aug%202008.pdf
Be warm but be safe!
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