Carbon Monoxide Safety Tips

Facts About Carbon Monoxide

While natural gas appliances have an excellent record, you should know what carbon monoxide is and how to reduce potential problems.

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, toxic gas. It combines with the body's blood and prevents it from absorbing oxygen. Incomplete combustion of fossil fuels creates carbon monoxide. Only use natural gas appliances according to manufacturers' specifications.

Some sources for carbon monoxide are:

• Automobile exhaust

• Clogged or blocked chimneys, or rusted flues or vent pipes.

• Improperly installed or malfunctioning fireplaces and appliances.

• Space heaters

Signs of carbon monoxide poisoning are much like the flu: headaches, fatigue, dizziness, confusion, nausea and vomiting. At higher concentrations, CO can cause unconsciousness or death. Be wary if all family members have the same symptoms, which clear up outside the house. If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, and you should do the following:

• Make everyone go outside.

• Call 9-1-1 or the emergency number for your area if an emergency situation exists or someone is overcome by carbon monoxide.

• Seek medical attention if needed.

• Identify and correct the source of the carbon monoxide.

• Leave windows closed so fire department can locate where the carbon monoxide is coming from.

We strongly recommend that residents install a Carbon Monoxide Detectors, and maintain them the same as you do your Smoke Detectors. Change the batteries when you turn your clocks back an hour in the fall, and up an hour in the spring. And please test them often.

The fire department does not recommend any specific brand of carbon monoxide detector. We do, however, suggest that you buy one approved by the Underwriters Laboratories.