|
| Currently you are not logged in. |
|
|
|
CARBON MONOXIDE is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas byproduct of combustion,
which means that it is produced any time a fuel is burned. Wood, paper, fabric, coal,
natural gas, propane, fuel oil and gasoline are just some of the fuels that produce
Carbon Monoxide when they are burned. Many of the appliances you use in your home
produce Carbon Monoxide: gas and oil furnaces and water heaters, gas clothes dryers
and kitchen stoves, propane grills, woodstoves, fireplaces, and your automobile have
the potential to release dangerous levels of this deadly gas into your home. And
without a proper detector you will not know it is there.
When you breathe Carbon Monoxide, it enters your bloodstream through the lining of
your lungs. In your bloodstream it attaches to the red blood cells which are supposed
to be picking up oxygen on their way to your brain. The longer you breathe the
Carbon Monoxide, the more gets into your bloodstream and the less oxygen is delivered
to your brain. When your brain does not receive enough oxygen, it ceases to
function. Carbon Monoxide is called “the Silent Killer” because you can’t tell it
is there, and even a very small amount in the air can cause severe damage. The
following are some of the ways you can keep your family safe from Carbon Monoxide.
All fuel burning appliances must be installed by a certified technician or
contractor to insure all safety requirements have been met.
Furnaces should be inspected and cleaned at least once a year by a licensed
technician. Piping and vents should be checked for rust or leaks. Rusty or loose
exhaust pipes should be replaced or refitted. If you smell fuel or exhaust in your
home, there is a problem and it needs to be corrected immediately by an expert.
If your furnace, hot water heater or other fuel-burning appliance is not working
properly it should be checked by a professional.
If you have any fuel burning appliances in your home you should install at least one
Carbon Monoxide detector. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions when installing it,
test the batteries regularly and change the batteries at least every 6 months.
If the Carbon Monoxide detector activates, even if you do not smell anything, leave
the house immediately and call 911 from outside. Do not open windows to air the
house out, this releases any potential Carbon Monoxide and the Fire Department has to
close everything back up to find out the source of the problem. Do not go back
inside until the Fire Department searches for the cause of the activation and tests
for the presence of Carbon Monoxide.
Fireplace and woodstove chimneys should be inspected and cleaned once a year before
burning.
Never use the kitchen stove or oven for heat.
Never start the car and leave it to warm up inside the garage. Always drive it out
onto the driveway and close the door. The same goes for lawnmowers, snow blowers,
and similar gasoline powered equipment. The exhaust from gasoline engines contains
high levels of carbon monoxide that can enter the home through the smallest openings.
Gasoline powered generators should be installed outside the house, away from windows,
air conditioning units or vents where the exhaust could be pulled into the building.
Never use a gasoline powered generator inside the garage.
Never use gas or charcoal grills inside the house or garage. Use them outside with
the door closed.
You can suffer carbon monoxide poisoning in your automobile if there are holes in
your exhaust system allowing exhaust to be sucked up into the passenger compartment.
A check of the exhaust system should be part of any automobile maintenance.
Check your automobiles tailpipe in the winter to be sure it hasn’t gotten clogged
with snow.
If you or members of your family feel flu-like symptoms; dizziness, headaches,
nausea or if you begin feeling disoriented while in the house, you might be
suffering Carbon Monoxide poisoning. Leave the house immediately and call 911.
Remember, you can’t see it or smell it or taste it.
|
|
|
|
|
|