From
buckling our seat belts whenever we get in the car to installing smoke
detectors in our homes, there are certain measures that everyone can take in
order to stay safe. However, we sometimes forget one very important safety
measure: protecting against carbon monoxide poisoning. The steps you can taketo make your home safer are simple, inexpensive, and effective at making sure
this silent killer doesn’t strike.
What is Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?
Carbon monoxide is a colorless and
odorless gas that can cause death if inhaled. You can find carbon monoxide in
fumes from cars, lanterns, gas appliances, and heating systems and if you
encounter the gas in an area that lacks ventilation, you could be in serious
trouble. Because red blood cells absorb carbon monoxide at a faster rate than
oxygen, the oxygen in your body can quickly become replaced with carbon
monoxide. This can cause tissue damage and even death. Once exposed to carbon
monoxide, you may experience headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and chest
pain, among other symptoms. In fact, carbon monoxide poisoning is the number
one cause of poisoning deaths in the United States.
Carbon Monoxide Detection
It is recommended that each home have a
carbon monoxide detector. These simple devices are just as important as smoke
detectors. You can purchase a detector at your local hardware store. Usually,
the best place to install it is near heating equipment, where carbon monoxide
might be leaked. These devices will warn you when the levels of carbon monoxide
in your home spike, giving you time to exit the building and get help.
Prevention through Proper Maintenance
Another critical element in preventing
carbon monoxide poisoning is remembering to have your furnace and other
fuel-burning appliances in your home properly serviced. This means hiring a
professional technician to come out and inspect the appliances. The technician
will look over all the parts of the appliances to make sure they are in good
repair, check for any damage or problems associated with the age of the
appliance, clean the interior workings of the appliance, and run tests to make
sure that everything is in good working order. This kind of maintenance can
extend the life of your appliance, ensure that it is running efficiently, and
catch any problems before they turn into a serious issue like carbon monoxide
leakage.
Preventing carbon monoxide poisoning
is simple and inexpensive. All that is needed is a quick stop at your local
hardware store to pick up a carbon monoxide detector and a call to your
neighborhood HVAC specialist to schedule a maintenance visit. Make sure you
check the batteries in your detector on a regular basis and that you have yourHVAC technician come to inspect all fuel-burning appliances at least once a
year. These steps will go a long way toward preventing any kind of tragedy from
carbon monoxide poisoning.
