How to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Leaks in Your Home
Winter temperatures encourage homeowners to seal up their homes and turn up the thermostat, elevating the risk of carbon monoxide (CO) inhalation. Close to 50,000 people in the U.S. go to the emergency room each year due to inadvertent CO poisoning, and more than 400 people die.
This odorless, tasteless, colorless gas is a side effect of incomplete combustion, meaning that it’s produced every time a material is burned. If some appliances in your home rely on natural gas, oil, propane, kerosene, wood, gasoline or charcoal, you’re susceptible to CO exposure. Find out what happens when you inhale carbon monoxide fumes and how to lower your risk of poisoning this winter.
The Risks of Carbon Monoxide
Frequently called the “silent killer,” carbon monoxide is lethal because it stops the body from processing oxygen properly. CO molecules displace oxygen that’s part of the blood, starving the heart, brain, lungs and other vital organs of oxygen. Dense concentrations of CO can overtake your system in minutes, leading to loss of consciousness and suffocation. Without prompt care, brain damage or death may occur.
Carbon monoxide poisoning can also take place progressively if the concentration is relatively minimal. The most common signs of CO poisoning include:
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Chest pain
- Confusion
Because these symptoms imitate the flu, many people won’t discover they have carbon monoxide poisoning until minor symptoms advance to organ damage. Look out for symptoms that lessen when you leave the house, suggesting the source could be originating from inside.
Carbon Monoxide Safety Tips
While CO poisoning is frightening, it’s also entirely preventable. Here are the best ways to protect your family from carbon monoxide exposure.
Operate Combustion Appliances Safely
- Don’t leave your car running while parked in an enclosed or partially enclosed building, such as a garage.
- Do not use a generator, lawn mower or other gasoline-powered system in an indoor space like a basement or garage, no matter how well-ventilated it may be. Also, keep these devices about 20 feet away from open windows, doors or intake vents.
- Don’t use a charcoal grill or small camping stove inside a home, tent or camper.
- Keep all vents and flues clear of debris that can produce a blockage and encourage backdrafting of carbon monoxide gases.
Install, Test and Replace the Batteries in Your Carbon Monoxide Detectors
If you ever use combustion appliances in or close to your home, you should put in carbon monoxide detectors to notify you of CO emissions. These alarms can be hardwired, battery-operated or plugged into an outlet depending on the style. Here’s how to reap all the benefits of your carbon monoxide detectors:
- Install your detectors securely: As you review possible locations, keep in mind that your home needs CO alarms on each floor, near every sleeping area and adjacent to the garage. Keep each unit away from combustion appliances and sources of heat and humidity. The higher on the wall or ceiling you can put in your detectors, the better.
- Test your detectors regularly: The bulk of manufacturers suggest monthly testing to ensure your CO alarms are operating correctly. Just press and hold the Test button for 5 to 20 seconds, wait for the alarm to sound and release the button. You ought to hear two brief beeps, observe a flash or both. If the detector does not perform as anticipated, change the batteries or replace the unit altogether.
- Swap out the batteries: If these detectors are battery-powered models, swap out the batteries after six months. If you have hardwired devices with a backup battery, replace the battery once a year or when the alarm begins to chirp, whichever comes first. Then, install new carbon monoxide alarms every 10 years or whenever the manufacturer suggests.
Schedule Annual Furnace Maintenance
Multiple appliances, including furnaces, water heaters, fireplaces and clothes dryers, may emit carbon monoxide if the system is installed incorrectly or not running as it should. A once-a-year maintenance visit is the only way to ensure if an appliance is malfunctioning before a leak appears.
A precision tune-up from Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning consists of the following:
- Inspect the heating appliance for carbon monoxide leaks.
- Spot any problems that might lead to unsafe operation.
- Evaluate additional spaces where you would most benefit from installing a CO detector.
- Tune up your system so you know your equipment is running at peak safety and productivity.
Contact Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning
If your gas furnace, boiler or water heater has sprung a CO leak, or you want to prevent leaks before they happen, Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning can help. Our HVAC maintenance and repair services encourage a safe, warm home all year-round. Get in touch with your local Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning office for more information about carbon monoxide safety or to request heating services.