FSI/ORSAT Inspection Minneapolis & St. Paul
If you own a rental home in St. Paul, Minneapolis, North St. Paul, or Crystal, you are required to have an existing fuel burning equipment safety test report performed, frequently referred to as FSI/ORSAT test or inspection.
However:
- Anyone in the Twin Cities can have an FSI/ORSAT test performed to ensure their heating systems are safe
When there is a heat source in the home that burns any type of fuel, this inspection will test the heat source to ensure it is safe.
What happens if the heat source isn’t safe to use?
If the heat source isn’t safe to use, then using that heat source is forbidden until the problem is rectified.
At Metro Heating & Cooling, we can perform the FSI/ORSAT Inspection for you to determine the safety of your heating source.
If there is a problem with your heating unit or hot water heater, we can repair the issue or replace the unit as necessary.
Comprehensive Fuel Burning Equipment Inspection
There are many elements to the fuel burning equipment safety test report because it includes any heat source in your home that uses fuel.
The two most common are:
- Gas powered forced air systems
- Gas powered hot water heaters
The information required on a Fire Safety Inspection form includes:
- Heat type (forced air, unit heater, forced hot water, gravity hot water, etc.)
- Type of fuel (gas and oil, etc)
- Gas Design (information about the burner and the conversion)
- Total BTU input
- Safety and operating control tests results
- Fuel analysis and flue gas analysis
- Combustion analysis
- Visual inspection (piping, vent systems, vent chimney, and heating unit)
A test is typically valid for one year, so the tests need to be completed annually.
Ensuring Your Health
Aside from complying with the respective municipality’s fire safety rules, there are two reasons for conducting an FSI/ORSAT Inspection:
- Health
- Safety
This inspection can prevent fires and carbon monoxide exposure.
Carbon monoxide can form when fossil fuels don’t burn efficiently.
When a high amount of carbon monoxide is present in a combustion appliance, it means the appliance isn’t working correctly.
This creates a danger for the occupants of the structure.
Ensuring your Safety
More than 500 lives a year are taken by carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the CDC.
Improperly vented fuel furnaces, water heaters, and gas ranges and ovens are some of the primary sources of CO emissions.
In terms of fires, a heating unit of any type that isn’t functioning properly poses a threat.
For example, a furnace that isn’t properly maintained is an automatic fire risk, because if natural gas is leaking into the air, it will build up, and due to the volatility of gas, it can easily explode and cause a deadly fire.
Another cause of fire is “flame rollout”, where there is not enough oxygen to feed the furnace.
It’s important for a furnace to have a mix of oxygen and fuel to create heat, because if there isn’t enough, the flames will roll out as a result of looking for oxygen elsewhere.
What are the benefits of a regular FSI/ORSAT inspection?
With regular inspections by a qualified Twin Cities FSI/ORSAT Inspector such as Metro Heating, you can:
- Prevent carbon monoxide poisoning
- Reduce the risk of fires
- Ensure you comply with your municipality
Meaning you can relax knowing your heating is safe and legal
Conclusion
To ensure your fuel burning equipment is safe, Metro Heating & Cooling can perform your comprehensive FSI/ORSAT inspection.
This inspection is also good to put on file with your municipality if they require it.
Simply Contact Us at (651) 294-7798 today and book your FSI/ORSAT inspection.
