How to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Leaks in Your Home
Winter temperatures drive homeowners to secure their homes and raise the thermostat, elevating the risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Around 50,000 people in the U.S. visit the emergency room every year because of unintended CO poisoning, and more than 400 people die.
This odorless, tasteless, colorless gas is a result of incomplete combustion, meaning that it’s created any time a material is burned. If any appliances in your home run on natural gas, oil, propane, kerosene, wood, gasoline or charcoal, you’re at risk of CO exposure. Learn what happens when you breathe in carbon monoxide fumes and how to reduce your risk of poisoning this winter.
The Danger of Carbon Monoxide
Often known as the “silent killer,” carbon monoxide is lethal because it prevents the body from processing oxygen appropriately. CO molecules displace oxygen in the blood, depriving the heart, brain, lungs and other vital organs of oxygen. Large volumes of CO can overtake your system in minutes, causing loss of consciousness and suffocation. Without immediate care, brain damage or death can occur.
Carbon monoxide poisoning can also happen gradually if the concentration is relatively modest. The most common signs of CO inhalation include:
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Chest pain
- Confusion
Since these symptoms imitate the flu, numerous people don’t discover they have carbon monoxide poisoning until mild symptoms advance to organ damage. Watch out for symptoms that subside when you leave the house, indicating the source could be originating from inside.
Carbon Monoxide Safety Tips
While CO exposure is alarming, it’s also entirely preventable. Here are the best ways to help your family avoid carbon monoxide exposure.
Run Combustion Appliances Safely
- Don’t run your car engine while parked in a covered or partially enclosed building, such as a garage.
- Do not run a generator, lawn mower or other gasoline-powered device in a smaller space such as a basement or garage, irrespective of how well-ventilated it may be. Also, keep these devices about 20 feet away from open windows, doors or intake vents.
- Avoid using a charcoal grill or transportable camping stove inside a home, tent or camper.
- Keep all vents and flues free of debris that can create a blockage and cause backdrafting of carbon monoxide fumes.
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 install carbon monoxide detectors to alert you of CO emissions. These devices can be hardwired, battery-operated or plugged into an outlet according to the style. Here’s how to take full advantage of your carbon monoxide detectors:
- Install your detectors properly: As you consider possible locations, keep in mind that your home needs CO alarms on every floor, near any sleeping area and close to the garage. Keep each unit away from combustion appliances as well as sources of heat and humidity. The higher on the wall or ceiling you can put in your detectors, the better.
- Check your detectors on a regular basis: Most manufacturers encourage monthly testing to ensure your CO alarms are working like they should. Just press and hold the Test button for 5 to 20 seconds, wait for the alarm to begin and let go of the button. You will hear two quick beeps, observe a flash or both. If the detector does not function as it’s supposed to, swap out the batteries or replace the unit entirely.
- Replace the batteries: If you have battery-powered models, exchange the batteries every six months. If you favor hardwired devices using a backup battery, change out the battery once a year or if the alarm begins to chirp, whichever comes first. Then, install new carbon monoxide alarms every 10 years or as frequently the manufacturer suggests.
Schedule Annual Furnace Maintenance
Multiple appliances, such as furnaces, water heaters, fireplaces and clothes dryers, could release carbon monoxide if the appliance is installed improperly or not performing as it should. A once-a-year maintenance visit is the only way to know for sure if an appliance is faulty before a leak appears.
A precision tune-up from Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning offers the following:
- Inspect the heating appliance for carbon monoxide leaks.
- Look for any malfunctions that could cause unsafe operation.
- Assess additional spaces where you would most benefit from installing a CO detector.
- Tune up your system so you know your heating and cooling is operating at peak safety and efficiency.
Contact Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning
If your gas furnace, boiler or water heater has formed a CO leak, or you want to stop leaks before they happen, Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning can help. Our HVAC maintenance and repair services encourage a safe, comfortable home all year-round. Call your local Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning office for more information about carbon monoxide safety or to schedule heating services.