![]() Eventually symptoms may progress to confusion, irritability, impaired judgment and coordination, and loss of consciousness. Continued exposure can lead to more severe headaches, dizziness, fatigue and nausea. Carbon monoxide is often called the “silent killer” because people will ignore early signs and eventually lose consciousness and be unable to escape to safety.įor most people, the first signs of exposure include mild headache and breathlessness with moderate exercise. Identifying carbon monoxide poisoning can be difficult because the symptoms are similar to the flu. Check that your vehicle’s exhaust pipe is not blocked, for example, by snow during the winter. Instead, back your vehicle out right away. Do not run or idle your vehicle in an attached garage. Not only is it a fire risk, it is also a carbon monoxide hazard. Examples include barbecue grills, camp stoves, portable generators or gas-powered lawn equipment. Never use appliances intended for outdoor use inside. Damaged or discolored bricks at the top of the chimney.Orange or yellow flame in combustion appliances (the flame should be blue).Rusting on flue pipes or appliance jacks.Excess moisture and condensation on windows, walls and cold surfaces.Absence of an upward draft in your chimney. ![]() Streaks of soot around fuel-burning appliances, or fallen soot in a fireplace.It is also a good idea to know the signs of a potential CO problem: furnace) checked by a qualified heating contractor every year to look for potential problems. You should have your fuel-burning appliances (ex. All of these appliances should be vented to the outside. It is important to know what appliances in your home are fuel-burning and make sure that they are maintained properly. Carbon monoxide detectors are also available for motor homes and boats. If the alarm sounds, leave the house and call 911 or the fire department. Check the batteries every time you check your smoke detector batteries-at least twice a year. Put one in the hallway near each sleeping area in your home. Install a carbon monoxide detector today. Common sources of carbon monoxide in our homes include fuel-burning appliances and devices such as: Homes with fuel-burning appliances or attached garages are more likely to have carbon monoxide problems. In simple terms, carbon monoxide is produced whenever a material burns. Furthermore, when people become sick the symptoms are similar to the flu, which can cause victims to ignore the early signs of carbon monoxide poisoning. This means that dangerous concentrations of the gas can build up indoors and humans have no way to detect the problem until they become ill. Since carbon monoxide has no odor, color or taste, it cannot be detected by our senses. Improperly ventilated appliances and engines, particularly in an enclosed space, may allow carbon monoxide to accumulate to dangerous levels. This can lead to serious tissue damage, or even death.Ĭarbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas produced by burning gas, wood, propane, charcoal or other fuel. When too much carbon monoxide is in the air, your body replaces the oxygen in your red blood cells with carbon monoxide. The good news is that carbon monoxide poisoning can be prevented with simple actions such installing a carbon monoxide detector and maintaining fuel burning appliances.Ĭarbon monoxide poisoning occurs when carbon monoxide builds up in your bloodstream. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that approximately 50,000 people visit the emergency department due to accidental carbon monoxide poisoning and nearly 500 die in the United States every year. As the weather gets colder, the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning increases.
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