Patent ID: 7928854

Claim:
A ventilation system comprising: a furnace system having a furnace with a burner, a flue positioned to vent smoke from the burner and a bypass that, when activated, is configured to serve as a temporary connection between an ignition mechanism of the burner and an electrical power source; one or more smoke detection devices, comprising: an infrared beam transmitting unit; an infrared beam receiving unit; and a control module associated with the infrared beam transmitting unit and the infrared beam receiving unit, wherein at least one of the one or more smoke detection devices is associated with the flue and is configured to turn off the burner in response to smoke being present in the flue at a level that is greater than a threshold smoke level, wherein the infrared beam transmitting unit and the infrared beam receiving unit are configured to communicate with each other, via an infrared beam produced by the infrared beam transmitting unit, and with the control module, via a signal produced in response to smoke being present at a level that is greater than the threshold smoke level, and wherein the infrared beam transmitting unit is configured to permit adjustment of an intensity of the infrared beam produced thereby so as to permit adjustment of the threshold smoke level.