Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Protection Tips

The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that each year, carbon monoxide poisoning sends more than 20,000 people to emergency rooms and claims nearly 400 lives nationwide.
Carbon monoxide is odorless, tasteless, colorless and toxic. It can poison the body quickly in high concentrations, or slowly over long periods of time. Home appliances are primary CO sources and the CDC reports that 64 percent of all carbon monoxide poisonings occur at home.
 

ADT Security Services released a few great tips on carbon monoxide poisoning prevention that Home Security Source thought would be good for everyone to know:

• Never use portable electric generators, charcoal grills, camp stoves, or other similar devices inside your home, basement, garage or in any confined area that can allow carbon monoxide to collect. Follow usage directions closely.

• Have your chimney, fireplace, wood stoves and flues inspected before every heating season and cleaned if necessary.

• Turn off space heaters before leaving a room or going to sleep and supervise children and pets at all times when a portable space heater is in use.

• Never run your car engine for more than a few moments in a garage or other enclosed area, even if the door to the outside is open. Fumes can build up very quickly and can spread to the living area of your home.

• Look for clues that home appliances may be malfunctioning or emitting toxic gas. Common indicators to look for include: decreased hot water supply, soot on appliances and vents, increased moisture inside windows and furnaces unable to heat properly.

• Install at least one carbon monoxide detector, connected to a monitoring center that operates 24/7, on every level of your home and near sleeping areas. Constant monitoring helps keep you safe from poisonous CO gas that can cause fatigue, dizziness, unconsciousness and possibly death if undetected.


 

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