How to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Leaks in Your Home
Icy temperatures encourage homeowners to seal up their homes and crank up the thermostat, expanding the risk of carbon monoxide (CO) inhalation. About 50,000 people in the U.S. visit the emergency room every year due to inadvertent CO poisoning, and more than 400 people die.
This odorless, tasteless, colorless gas is a result of imperfect combustion, which means it’s released any time a material is burned. If any appliances in your home use 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 reduce your risk of exposure this winter.
The Risks of Carbon Monoxide
Often referred to as the “silent killer,” carbon monoxide is lethal because it stops the body from taking in oxygen appropriately. CO molecules displace oxygen in the blood, starving the heart, brain, lungs and other vital organs of oxygen. Large amounts of CO can overwhelm your system in minutes, leading to loss of consciousness and suffocation. Without urgent care, brain damage or death may occur.
Carbon monoxide poisoning can also happen progressively if the concentration is comparatively low. The most frequent signs of CO inhalation include:
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Chest pain
- Confusion
Because these symptoms mimic the flu, a lot of people won’t find out they have carbon monoxide poisoning until minor symptoms advance to organ damage. Watch out for symptoms that subside when you aren’t home, indicating the source may be originating from inside.
Carbon Monoxide Safety Tips
While CO poisoning is frightening, it’s also entirely avoidable. Here are the best ways to protect your family from carbon monoxide exposure.
Operate Combustion Appliances Correctly
- Don’t leave your car running while parked in an enclosed or partially enclosed structure, such as a garage.
- Never use a generator, lawn mower or other gasoline-powered device in an enclosed space such as a basement or garage, no matter how well-ventilated it is. Also, keep these devices at least 20 feet away from open windows, doors or intake vents.
- Don’t use a charcoal grill or small camping stove in a home, tent or camper.
- Keep all vents and flues free of debris that may produce a blockage and trigger backdrafting of carbon monoxide fumes.
Install, Test and Replace the Batteries in Your Carbon Monoxide Detectors
If you ever use combustion appliances in or around your home, you should install carbon monoxide detectors to warn you of CO leaks. 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 think about the best locations, remember that your home does best with CO alarms on each floor, near every sleeping area and adjacent to the garage. Keep each unit out of reach 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 consistently: Most manufacturers recommend monthly testing to make sure your CO alarms are working properly. Just press and hold the Test button for 5 to 20 seconds, wait for the alarm to sound and let go of the button. You will hear two quick beeps, observe a flash or both. If the detector does not function as expected, change the batteries or replace the unit outright.
- Replace the batteries: If these detectors are battery-powered models, swap out the batteries after six months. If you prefer hardwired devices using a backup battery, change out the battery once a year or if the alarm starts chirping, whichever comes first. Then, install new carbon monoxide alarms every 10 years or as often as the manufacturer suggests.
Plan for Annual Furnace Maintenance
Multiple appliances, such as furnaces, water heaters, fireplaces and clothes dryers, may emit carbon monoxide if the appliance is installed poorly or not performing as it should. A yearly maintenance visit is the only way to ensure if an appliance is defective before a leak develops.
A precision tune-up from Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning includes the following:
- Examine the heating appliance for carbon monoxide leaks.
- Look for any malfunctions 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 heating and cooling is running at peak safety and efficiency.
Contact Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning
If your gas furnace, boiler or water heater has developed a CO leak, or you want to thwart 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. Get in touch with your local Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning office for more details about carbon monoxide safety or to ask for heating services.