Furnaces, Other Or Not Specified
Twenty years of CPSC NEISS emergency-room records for this consumer product category, combined with demographic breakdowns, multi-year injury trends, and matching recall notices.
Kitchen Small Appliances & Housewares · CPSC Code 322
Down 21% over 5 years
The verdict
Furnaces, Other Or Not Specified carry a danger score of 35/100 (low risk), driven by roughly 2,859 ER-treated injuries a year that are declining by about 21% over the last five years.
- 35/100
- danger score (low risk)
- 2,859
- ER visits per year (avg)
- 7.4%
- end in hospital admission
- 25-34
- most-injured age group
Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 322 - last data year 2024.
PlainSafety danger score
How this 35/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for furnaces, other or not specified - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume2,859 ER visits/yr
- Severity (hospitalization rate)7.4%
- Fatality rate0.00%
- 5-year trend-21%
See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Furnaces, Other Or Not Specified (CPSC product code 322, in the Kitchen Small Appliances & Housewares category) generate an estimated 2,859 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 57,187 ER-treated injuries across the 20-year span from 2005 to 2024. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 35/100 for this category (low risk), combining raw injury volume, demographic reach, severity of outcome, and multi-year trend. The five-year trajectory shows that injury counts are declining by about 21% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2008 (4,842 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2021 (1,627 estimated visits).
The single most common ER diagnosis for furnaces, other or not specified is anoxia to the all parts body, accounting for approximately 21,374 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by laceration to the finger (4,383 cases). The 25-34 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 10,147 cases over the NEISS window, and males appear slightly more often than the opposite sex in that cohort. Severity outcomes from the NEISS disposition field show that 7.4% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 24 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how furnaces, other or not specified fail in real households. Every figure on this page comes from CPSC-published data: NEISS projects national estimates from a probability sample of about 100 U.S. hospital emergency departments, while SaferProducts.gov collects voluntary reports from consumers, manufacturers, and clinicians. The danger score, trend indicators, and demographic breakdowns update automatically when CPSC releases a new yearly NEISS file, which is why this page is dated 2024-12-31. For regulatory context, consult CPSC recall notices and the SaferProducts.gov public database linked below.
Annual Injury Estimates (2005–2024)
Source: CPSC NEISS national estimates CPSC NEISS national estimates Injuries represent ER-treated cases only
Who Gets Injured?
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 2,836 | 1,877 | |
| 5-14 | 3,471 | 2,252 | |
| 15-24 | 3,799 | 2,555 | |
| 25-34 | 6,794 | 3,353 | |
| 35-44 | 6,227 | 3,452 | |
| 45-54 | 4,163 | 3,396 | |
| 55-64 | 3,680 | 1,972 | |
| 65-74 | 2,222 | 1,486 | |
| 75+ | 2,307 | 1,340 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| All Parts Body | Anoxia | |
| Finger | Laceration | |
| Face | Burns, Thermal | |
| Hand | Burns, Thermal | |
| Hand | Laceration | |
| Head | Internal Injury | |
| Lower Trunk | Strain, Sprain | |
| Head | Laceration | |
| Face | Laceration | |
| Lower Arm | Burns, Thermal | |
| Lower Trunk | Other | |
| Lower Arm | Laceration | |
| Eyeball | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Eyeball | Foreign Body | |
| Lower Leg | Laceration |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
27 YOM CARBON MONOXIDE EXPOSURE FROM A BROKEN FURNACE DX: CARBON MONOXIDE EXPOSURE
18 YOF CARBON MONOXIDE EXPOSURE FROM A BROKEN FURNACE DX: CARBON MONOXIDE EXPOSURE
28 YOF CARBON MONOXIDE EXPOSURE FROM A BROKEN FURNACE DX: CARBON MONOXIDE EXPOSURE
6 YOM CARBON MONOXIDE EXPOSURE FROM A BROKEN FURNACE DX: CARBON MONOXIDE EXPOSURE
11 MOM CARBON MONOXIDE EXPOSURE FROM A BROKEN FURNACE DX: CARBON MONOXIDE EXPOSURE
44YOM PRESENTS AFTER FURNACE FELL ON HIS LEG, C/O LEG PAIN, DX:PAIN IN JOIONT INVOLVING LOWER LEG
78YOF PATIENT REPORTS THAT FOR THE LAST FEW WEEKS SHE HAS BEEN HAVING INCREASING FEELINGS OF GENERALIZED WEAKNESS, FATIGUE, DIZZINESS, AND SYNCOPAL EPISODE AT HOME, SHE HAD HER WHOLE FURNACE REPLACED AND CONCERN OF A CARBON MONOXIDE LEAK, CARBOXYHEMOGLOBIN 2.2 DX: SYNCOPE AND COLLASPE, DIZZINESS, GENERALIZED WEAKNESS, FATIGUE, HEMATURIA
65YOF PT C/O WEAKNES, NAUSEA & DYSPNEA, LARGELY WHEN FURNACE IS RUNNING DX: CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING
90 YOF FELL AT HOME, BUMPED INTO A FURNACE AND SLID DOWN. DX: RIB FRACTURES, T7 FRACTURE
85YOF, ON *** FOR ATRIAL FIBRILLATION SUFFERED MECHANICAL FALL BACKWARDS STRIKING ELBOW AGAINST THE FURNACE NO HEAD TRAUMA DX: RIGHT ELBOW LACERATION
84YOM WAS MOVING A FURNACE YESTERDAY AND DEVELOPED PAIN IN CHEST DX: CHEST PAIN
68YOF PRESENTS FROM HOME WITH COMPLAINT OF FALL. PATIENT STATES SHE WAS CLEANING OUT A ROOM IN THE BASEMENT WHEN SHE TRIPPED AND FELL HITTING THE SIDE OF HER HEAD AGAINS THE FURNACE. DX: CLOSED HEAD INJURY, ANKLE PAIN
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
We had an HVAC company come out and look at our furnace and we were told it was on the recall list for furnaces in California. He recommended to replace it. We never received any notification that it was recalled. Amana model GSE50DN3X
The consumer lives in an apartment and states the furnace in the complex is causing her adverse health effects. The consumer has been renting the apartment for approximately 11 months. About 2 months ago (05/15/15) the consumer changed the air filter in her apartment and since then she has been experiencing the following symptoms, bad taste in her mouth, chest pain, skin irritation, sore throat, nose irritation and coughing. The consumer believes the furnace in the apartment complex is emitting a chemical through the air vents that is causing her adverse effects. The consumer has spoken with the property manager of the apartment complex about her health issues. The property manager contacted Clean Aire to have the consumer's apartment tested. On 06/19/15 there was a test conducted by an indoor air quality specialist from Clean Aire (803-776-1117) and the results were inconclusive. The consumer has visited a physician and underwent tests. The consumer was told by the physician that the test results were normal. black, wool-like debris found in exchange air shaft? while changing 30-day filter. Particulates now dispersing through apartment, onto all surfaces, and high dust build-up to filter and shaft. Breathing the in-door air leaves a chlorine, bitter taste in mouth; nasal drainage with particles?; have also experienced flu-like body pain. - chest pain (lungs) - eye irritation [REDACTED]
Goodman AC/Furnace (GMVC950905DXBA) fan motor caught on fire, melting 110VAC electrical wires within the unit. The unit was installed in the attic and the fire self arrested inside the cabinet. The event did not trip any fuse, the outside evaporator continued to run, and the motor continued to hum. The burnt smell/material was distributed throughout the house.
I had a new Goodman furnace installed in October 2006. In December 2010 a motor had to be replaced. Now April 2012, I once again have had to call for repair and this time it involves the replacement of the mother board and heat exchanger as the unit is registering unacceptable carbon monoxide levels. I have made the decision to replace the entire unit with another brand as opposed to fixing the problems, which would cost me almost as much as an entirely new furnace. THIS BRAND OF FURNACE IS JUNK!!! AND IT IS UNACCEPTABLE THAT I HAVE TO REPLACE A UNIT THAT WAS LESS THAN 6 YEARS OLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
Fire under a furnace. Fire confined to the attic space. Fire smoldered for an extended period of time in the structural members directly under the forced air furnace. The product has been recalled.
I owned a Lennox G26Q3-75-1 furnace. In December of 2018, we noticed a strong smoke smell in the room with the furnace. When we entered the room, it was full of smoke and the furnace was on fire. We have contacted Lennox to let them know of the problem and see if they wanted the damaged furnace so they could research and find out why it caught on fire. This was their response: "Dear Mr. [REDACTED]: Thank you for your email. We at Lennox Industries, Inc. value all of our customers, and it is our policy to provide the highest quality product. As you are aware, someone must identify the specific reason for your current furnace damage. There are a number of reasons why this could occur, however we are not in a position to evaluate the cause. We rely on your dealers guidance to identify the root cause of an incident and determine the best plan going forward. We would like to take this opportunity to make you aware of the importance of having routine maintenance performed to help ensure proper and efficient operation. Lennox recommends that the system be serviced by a qualified service technician at the beginning of each cooling and/or heating season. While this service generally includes a check of all major system components and equipment operation, it also allows the technician to identify and eliminate any concerns such as outdoor debris or other contaminants that may have entered your furnace intake. Regular maintenance performed by a licensed HVAC contractor helps to prevent more costly repairs and damage should those concerns be left uncorrected. With regard to your G26Q3-75-1 furnace (Serial Number 5893K51522), we do not need you to return it to us. We encourage you to continue consulting with your servicing contractor to meet your personal comfort needs. Sincerely LENNOX INDUSTRIES INC. [REDACTED] Consumer Support" I am concerned about the safety of other person's homes that may have this furnace. I wanted to make a formal compl
Caller stated that the furnace has a burning problem (flashback) and is very noisy. He feels that this furnace is unsafe. He contacted the company, a technician was sent out and he was informed that the heat exchanger needed to be replaced. Caller stated that he has this problem since installation and he does not feel they are willing to replace the furnace. Caller bought and installed an American Standard brand furnace for a homeowner. Upon commissioning the furnace, caller found out that the furnace burners have excessive noise and abnormal flames that felt disturbing and unsafe for the homeowner and worrisome to caller as the service provider. After hours of investigation and trying things that could possibly correct the problem, the problem remained unresolved. Caller contacted EMCO Plumbing and Heating Supplier Exclusive Distributor and Supplier of American Standard furnaces in B.C. to do their own observations and remedy of the furnace issue. EMCO hired a heating technician who checked and tried fixing the problem with no success. The technician's observation revealed a sort of error occurring in the burners due to possible cracks or restrictions in the heat exchanger. The Vancouver City Plumbing and Gas Inspector failed the furnace on the basis of safety standards. The seller and manufacturer have refused the request of caller and the consumer to replace the furnace. Initially, EMCO offered to replace the heat exchanger but eventually didn't feel obliged to do anything anymore. The assigned EMCO City Inspector's opinion are obviously very serious indications of issues for the seller to ignore. The reason for caller to allow the homeowner to use the furnace is if the burner box door (which is supposed to be closed) is kept not closed, it helps the burners to function better. At the same time, it gives the homeowner some heat even with a degree of risk. This furnace needs a thorough factory testing for finding the exact cause of the issue for th
Pittsburgh,PA Purchased Lennox Model EL296UH090XE48C furnace on 12/2017. Exposed homeowner,young family of 5, to carbon monoxide poisoning 2020 thru March 2021. More toxic level in last 3 months.Family sickened, various health issues. Admiral Heating installed 88,000BTU for a 60,000BTU house. Heat exchanger possibly cracked. Lennox only concerned for Admiral Heating since they purchase many furnaces. Not interested in investigating cause. Admiral Heating refused to replace with proper size furnace or refund.Lennox allowed Admiral to call the shots. Lennox offered contractor refund to give to injured party. Admiral Heating refused.
Showing 8 of 24 reports.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to furnaces, other or not specified on the CPSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dangerous are furnaces, other or not specified?
Based on 20 years of CPSC data, furnaces, other or not specified have a danger score of 35/100 (low risk). An estimated 2,859 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.
What are the most common injuries from furnaces, other or not specified?
The most common injury is anoxia to the all parts body, accounting for approximately 21,374 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from furnaces, other or not specified increasing or decreasing?
Down 21% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for furnaces, other or not specified injuries?
The 25-34 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 10,147 cases recorded over 20 years. Males are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by furnaces, other or not specified?
Of all ER visits involving furnaces, other or not specified, approximately 7.4% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (92.6%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with furnaces, other or not specified?
You can file a consumer incident report at SaferProducts.gov, the official CPSC reporting portal. Reports help the CPSC identify emerging hazards and trigger investigations or recalls. You can also call the CPSC hotline at 1-800-638-2772.
Related Products in Kitchen Small Appliances & Housewares
Safety Guides
What this means for you
Treat the 35/100 score as relative risk between products, not your personal odds of injury.
- See where this category ranks against every other tracked product. Full rankings
- Injuries cluster in the 25-34 age group, take extra care if that describes your household.
- Check for active recalls on this product before you assume it is safe. CPSC recalls
NEISS estimates ER-treated injuries from a national probability sample of hospitals; they do not capture injuries treated elsewhere or not treated at all.
Data: CPSC National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) 2005–2024 and SaferProducts.gov consumer incident reports. Injury estimates are based on a nationally representative probability sample of U.S. hospital emergency departments. This page is for informational purposes only and is not affiliated with the CPSC.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, scored, and verified.