What is Carbon Monoxide and How to Keep Your Home Safe
What is Carbon Monoxide (CO) and Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?
Sometimes referred to as the “silent killer,” Carbon Monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that is produced when fossil fuels are burned, and it cannot be detected by human senses. Large concentrations of CO gas can build up indoors, and humans have no way to detect the gas until they start showing symptoms. Symptoms of CO poisoning are very similar to symptoms of the flu, making the problem even more difficult to detect.
The Center for Disease Control estimates that approximately 400 people die from unintentional CO exposure in the United States every year. While this can be a scary statistic, there are preventative steps you can take to protect you and your family from CO poisoning.
Preventative steps to protect your family from CO poisoning:
Get your heating system professionally inspected every year, including chimneys.
Ensure that all your home appliances are up to code and have been correctly installed.
Do not leave a car running inside an attached garage, even with the door open.
Never use appliances intended for outdoor use inside the home, including barbecue grills, camp stoves, portable generators or gas-powered equipment.
Install and maintain CO alarms in your home.
The state of Texas requires that all day-care centers and family homes be equipped with carbon monoxide detectors, so you should already have this alarm installed. Make sure you take note of your CO alarms replacement dates and ensure that they were properly installed and placed.
If your CO alarm sounds and people in your home are exhibiting symptoms of CO poisoning, get everyone out of the building and call the local fire department. If you and your family are feeling fine when the alarm sounds, then call your local gas utility company or a qualified technician to help identify the source of the problem.
For further questions on how Carbon Monoxide affects your home, Lowery Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning is here to help. We offer professional plumbing services on the South Plains. Give us a call at (806) 741-0519 or visit our website at https://www.trustlowery.com for more information.
