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Beware of winter carbon monoxide danger
When the weather outside is frightful, a fire is so
delightful, but fire department officials urge caution when heating your
home this season. Increased use of home heating and
combustion appliances during the winter months introduces added risks for carbon
monoxide poisoning to you and your loved ones.
Carbon monoxide, or CO as it is commonly called, is an invisible, odorless gas.
It is a common byproduct of incomplete combustion, produced when fossil fuels
like oil, gas or coal burn. It can be produced in a home by any common household
appliance such as a furnace, clothes dryer, range, oven, water heater or space
heater. It also is produced by automobiles.
The presence of carbon monoxide is virtually undetectable. Because you can't
see, smell or taste it, prolonged exposure to carbon monoxide can result in
varying degrees of illness up to and including death. Those most at-risk for
serious injury from carbon monoxide exposure are pregnant women, children, the
elderly and anyone with a heart or lung condition.
Carbon monoxide poisoning robs the body cells and tissue of what they need most
- oxygen. If even small amounts of CO are inhaled, it quickly bonds with
hemoglobin and displaces oxygen. This produces a toxic blood compound called
carboxy-hemoglobin. Early symptoms of CO poisoning
resemble the flu. These include a headache, nausea, dizziness, confusion and
fatigue. As levels of this toxic compound rise, victims suffer vomiting, loss of
consciousness, brain damage and even death. According to the Journal of the
American Medical Association, 1,500 people die from carbon monoxide poisoning
each year and another 10,000 are injured.
When appliances and vents work properly, and there is enough fresh air in your
home to allow complete combustion, the trace amounts of CO produced typically
are not dangerous. Under normal conditions, CO is vented safely outside
the home. The winter season, however, poses additional risks for carbon monoxide
poisoning because typically more gas-emitting appliances are used in the winter
months and homes are sealed tight to keep out the chill.
Problems arise when something goes wrong - an appliance malfunctions, a furnace
heat exchanger cracks, a vent gets clogged, or debris blocks a chimney flue. In
some cases, problems arise even if appliances are working properly. Too
many fuel-burning appliances operating at the same time in a well-insulated home
compete for available fresh air. If the fresh air supply gets low, appliances
recirculate exhaust fumes instead of venting CO outside.
Other risky circumstances include a drop in indoor air pressure below the
outside air pressure. This scenario can cause the airflow in chimneys and vents
to reverse and pull exhaust containing CO back into the home. Loose vent
pipes on gas dryers, furnaces or water heaters also are culprits that could
prevent CO from safely venting outside your living space.
The good news is there are things you can do to prevent a dangerous encounter
with this unwanted houseguest.
Consider having a qualified appliance technician check all fuel-burning
appliances, furnaces, venting and chimney systems once a year, or as is
recommended by the manufacturer. If you are planning a lot of baking or
cooking using a gas stove or oven, crack open a window to let fresh air into
your home.
If you have an attached garage, pull your car all the way out of the garage when
warming it up.
For added protection, the Consumer Products Safety Commission recommends
installing a carbon monoxide detector with an audible alarm near the sleeping
areas in your home. These devices are available at most home improvement stores.
Experts suggest installing such devices at least 15 feet away from any
fuel-burning appliance or furnace.
If you own a carbon monoxide detector and the alarm sounds, take it seriously.
Call 911 and evacuate your family to a neighbor's house or another pre-appointed
meeting place outside the home.
It's very possible that you won't be experiencing symptoms of CO poisoning when
the alarm sounds. That is because the alarm is supposed to go off before you
feel sick. The alarm gives you some time to react and take action.
As the old saying goes, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of
cure." Consider following these safety tips to ensure that you and your
loved ones are safe and warm this season.
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