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Carbon Monoxide Can Be Deadly
You can’t see or
smell carbon monoxide, but at high levels it can kill a person in
minutes. Carbon monoxide (CO) is produced whenever any fuel such as
gas, oil, kerosene, wood, or charcoal is burned. If appliances that
burn fuel are maintained and used properly, the amount of CO
produced is usually not hazardous. However, if appliances are not
working properly or are used incorrectly, dangerous levels of CO can
result. Hundreds of people die accidentally every year from CO
poisoning caused by malfunctioning or improperly used fuel-burning
appliances. Even more die from CO produced by idling cars. Fetuses,
infants, elderly people, and people with anemia or with a history of
heart or respiratory disease can be especially susceptible. Be safe.
Practice the DO’s and DON’Ts of carbon monoxide.
CO Poisoning Symptoms
Know the symptoms of
CO poisoning. At moderate levels, you or your family can get severe
headaches, become dizzy, mentally confused, nauseated, or faint. You
can even die if these levels persist for a long time. Low levels can
cause shortness of breath, mild nausea, and mild headaches, and may
have longer term effects on your health. Since many of these
symptoms are similar to those of the flu, food poisoning, or other
illnesses, you may not think that CO poisoning could be the cause.
Play
it Safe
If
you experience symptoms
that you think could be from CO poisoning:
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DO
GET FRESH AIR IMMEDIATELY. Open doors and
windows, turn off combustion appliances and leave the
house.
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DO
GO TO AN EMERGENCY ROOM and tell the physician
you suspect CO poisoning. If CO poisoning has occurred, it
can often be diagnosed by a blood test done soon after
exposure.
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DO
Be prepared to answer the following questions for the doctor:
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Do your symptoms occur only
in the house? Do they disappear or decrease when you leave
home and reappear when you return? |
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Is anyone else in your
household complaining of similar symptoms? Did
everyone’s symptoms appear about the same time? |
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Are you using any
fuel-burning appliances in the home? |
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Has anyone inspected your
appliances lately? Are you certain they are working
properly? |
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Prevention
is the Key to Avoiding Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
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DO
have your fuel-burning appliances -- including oil and
gas furnaces, gas water heaters, gas ranges and ovens, gas
dryers, gas or kerosene space heaters, fireplaces, and wood
stoves -- inspected by a trained professional at the beginning
of every heating season. Make certain that the flues and
chimneys are connected, in good condition, and not blocked.
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DO
choose appliances that vent their fumes to the outside
whenever possible, have them properly installed, and maintain
them according to manufacturers’ instructions.
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DO
read and follow all of the instructions that accompany any
fuel-burning device. If you cannot avoid using an unvented gas
or kerosene space heater, carefully follow the cautions that
come with the device. Use the proper fuel and keep doors to
the rest of the house open. Crack a window to ensure enough
air for ventilation and proper fuel-burning.
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DO
call EPA’s IAQ INFO Clearinghouse (1-800-438-4318)
for more information on how to reduce your risks from CO and
other combustion gases and particles.
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DON’T
idle the car in a garage -- even if the garage door to the
outside is open. Fumes can build up very quickly in the garage
and living area of your home.
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DON’T
use a gas oven to heat your home, even for a short time.
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DON’T
ever use a charcoal grill indoors -- even in a
fireplace.
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DON'T
sleep in any room with an unvented gas or kerosene space
heater.
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DON’T
use any gasoline-powered engines (mowers, weed trimmers,
snow blowers, chain saws, small engines or generators) in
enclosed spaces.
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DON’T
ignore symptoms, particularly if more than one person is
feeling them. You could lose consciousness and die if you do
nothing.
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The above information is
provided by the EPA.
For additional info, see their website www.epa.gov/iaq.
Unfortunately,
many people with carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning mistake their
symptoms for the flu. This year alone, over 200 people in the United
States
will DIE from CO poisoning caused by faulty gas furnaces. And
thousands more will go to hospital emergency rooms.
Dr.
Winnie King, an
attending physician at Florida Hospital Central Care in Orlando, and
the medical expert for Lifetime's “What Should You Do?” Has
the following recommendations concerning carbon monoxide poisoning:
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you think someone in your house has been poisoned, get him or
her outside and to a hospital as soon as you can. There is no
first aid you can do. The only treatment is pure oxygen supplied
by the hospital.
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appliance that burns fuel—water heaters, gas stoves and
clothes dryers—could cause carbon monoxide poisoning.
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| Hire
someone to inspect your gas appliances every fall, right before
the winter heating season.
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| Buy
a carbon monoxide detector and place it near your furnace or
heating system. Make sure the alarm is loud.
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For more information go to www.carbonmonoxidekills.com
Contact
Us Today!
Call
Temco Air Environmental for your pre-winter heating service and
carbon monoxide test. Purchase a new Residential Service Agreement
(RSA) and receive a
FREE
carbon monoxide alarm at the time of service!
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