It does not seem to come up very often, but every now and then you hear about someone dying of carbon monoxide poisoning. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, carbon monoxide poisoning is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in the United States. What makes CO so deadly is that it does not produce a smell or a taste in the air like other poisonous gases do. This is why carbon monoxide is often referred to as the silent killer.
CO poisoning often mimics flu-like symptoms. Carbon Monoxide is produced as a by-product of anything that burns fuel. This could be from the gas furnace, water heater, fireplace, stove, or automobile for example.
The following quick tips about carbon monoxide detectors and CO poisoning can help keep your family safe in your home if put to use.
Install at least one carbon monoxide detector on each level of the home. If your budget allows, you can even put one inside of each bedroom.
Have your heating system checked each year by a professional to ensure that there are no leaks in your system. Many times an elbow on your gas lines will have a hairline crack that you cannot see, but it will be emitting CO gas.
Do not run a generator indoors or near window or door openings.
Make sure that the flue to your fireplace is open before lighting the fireplace.
Check the pilot lights on gas appliances like the hot water heater to see if the flame is blue. If the flame is yellow, then there is a good chance that it may be emitting CO.
Never run an automobile in your attached garage for an extended time. Crank your vehicle and back out. You can let it warm up once it is outside the garage.
Always remember that CO detectors do not last forever. The average life is around 5 years. Be sure that you replace them every so often. It is also a good idea to change the batteries at least once per year if you have the battery operated detectors.
Installing a CO detector in your home may save your life. Don't wait until it is too late.
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