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Carbon Monoxide Safety: What You Need to Know
Written on: January 19, 2017
They call carbon monoxide “the silent killer” for a reason – and if you have a home heating system that burns propane, wood, heating oil, or any other kind of fuel in your Montgomery or Bucks County home, you’ll need to know how to detect and deal with a build-up of the deadly gas.
Here are some carbon monoxide safety basics:
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous, odorless gas that is released when you burn such fuels as propane, wood, or oil. A buildup of CO can cause illness, disorientation, or even death.
Carbon monoxide usually builds up due to either poor ventilation or broken equipment. Typical causes of these problems include vent or flue blockage, poorly maintained equipment, or operating unvented appliances for too long.
Symptoms of CO poisoning become more severe as exposure to the gas increases: mild exposure causes flu-like symptoms (headaches, nausea, fatigue, etc.); with moderate exposure, symptoms worsen (drowsiness and disorientation are common); in extreme cases, unconsciousness, convulsions, cardiac arrest, and even death are possible.
If you or someone in your home has CO poisoning symptoms,
Get fresh air immediately (open windows and doors and leave the house).
Call your local fire department or 911.
Visit your doctor.
Do not operate your appliances again you get a professional inspection!
To prevent CO poisoning,
Teach everyone in your home the signs of CO poisoning and what to do if someone is experiencing them (see above).
