Any fuel-burning appliance in your home releases carbon monoxide. This is why gas appliances require venting that is up to code. This venting removes the carbon monoxide from the appliance and pushes it outdoors. It’s important to have carbon monoxide alarms in your home that work consistently. The CDC reports that approximately 430 people die from carbon monoxide poisoning each year. Let’s talk about carbon monoxide and how Service 1st Pros can help protect your family from it.
Odorless/Colorless
What makes carbon monoxide so dangerous is that it is invisible. This gas does not have an odor nor does it have a color. You won’t know that you have carbon monoxide in your home. This is why the detectors are so important. If you have them installed throughout your home and you check them monthly to make sure they’re working, this protects your family from the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. Because this gas cannot be detected, many of the 430 people who die from it die in their sleep.
CO Poisoning Symptoms
Carbon monoxide poisoning makes you feel as if you have the flu. If you breathe in a ton of carbon monoxide, you will pass out. Before you pass out, you may suffer from
- Chest pain
- Confusion
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Upset stomach
- Vomiting
- Weakness
If you or anyone in your family is suffering from any of these symptoms, it’s important you get everyone, including the pets, out of the house right away. Have your home tested for carbon monoxide before you re-enter it. It is better to be safe than sorry.
Those Susceptible to CO Poisoning
Everyone in your household is susceptible to carbon monoxide poisoning, but there are those who are more susceptible to it. First of all, you may not have thought about it, but your pets can be poisoned by carbon monoxide. Small pets can be poisoned quickly by this dangerous gas. In terms of humans, infants, toddlers, and senior citizens are particularly susceptible to carbon monoxide poisoning. Those who are ill or have compromised immune or respiratory systems are also more susceptible to carbon monoxide poisoning.
Protection Against Carbon Monoxide
As we said above, one of the best ways to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning in your home is to have operating carbon monoxide detectors in every room in your house. You can also have your gas appliances inspected to make sure that they are vented properly and are not leaking carbon monoxide gas.
We here at Service 1st Pros in Auburn, GA, can inspect your furnace and test it for CO leaks. This will ensure that you aren’t being introduced to carbon monoxide when you use your furnace.