5 Carbon Monoxide Safety Tips

The holiday season is here, and families all across the country are having parties, hosting and cooking festive dinners. Along with stocking groceries, cleaning the house and buying gifts, many families forget one important thing to do this time of year: Check to make sure their home is protected against Carbon Monoxide. Carbon monoxide is a deadly gas that can cause serious health problems, so don't take any risks. Call a professional Ducted Cleaning Melbourne company to come and check things out for you. They will be able to quickly identify the source of the problem and fix it so that your home is safe again.

What is carbon monoxide?

Carbon monoxide is produced by stoves, fireplaces, gas ranges, ovens, furnaces and even automobiles, lawn mowers and other gas-powered engines. This colorless, odorless, tasteless gas is commonly known as “the silent killer” because it’s essentially undetectable — unless a working Carbon Monoxide Testing is placed in the home. Carbon monoxide poisoning is a potentially deadly condition that causes chronic illness if not recognised or treated immediately. This gas can kill swiftly because it cannot be seen or smelled.

Old gas heaters tends to emit carbon monoxide and can pose a serious risk if not treated safely by a licensed gasfitter. If you are renting, then as per the Residential Tenancies Act 1997, it is the responsibility of a landlord to get your appliances serviced. Generally, it is a good practice to get your gas appliances serviced every two years as recommended by Energy Safe Victoria. The appliances most likely to produce carbon monoxide are heat-producing devices such as furnaces and heaters.

These appliances must be correctly installed, regularly serviced and ventilated per guidelines set out by manufacturers.

Each year, around 20,000 people go to the emergency room for carbon monoxide poisoning, and nearly 500 people die from it.

When your child breathes CO, it harms the ability of his or her blood to transport oxygen. Although everyone is at risk for CO poisoning, it is particularly dangerous for children because they breathe faster and inhale more CO per pound of body weight.

So, how do you protect yourself? Especially in winter, when it’s cold outside and you’re using heat sources inside your home?

Here are some basic actions you can take to help limit your exposure:

1. Install and test CO detectors 

Most states (37 in all) now have some sort of requirement regarding the installation of carbon monoxide detectors in private homes. These should be placed outside of each sleeping area and on every level of the home. Because you won’t smell or otherwise notice CO building up, having detectors that will sound an alarm is crucial. Don’t forget to test them once a month.

2. Don’t create additional risk in your home

You should never use devices that generate large amounts of CO inside your home. Never operate a gas or charcoal grill inside (even in a garage), and make sure generators are used in a well-ventilated outside location away from windows, doors, and vents. Make sure to have your furnace and chimney checked annually, too.

3. Be careful in your care

Carbon monoxide can build up quickly when a vehicle is running, so, if you need to warm up your car, move it out of the garage after you start it.

4. Watch out for snow — at home and on your vehicle

Snow and ice can block vents for your dryer, furnace, stove, and fireplace. They also can obstruct the exhaust of your car. Either can be very dangerous. In fact, according to news reports, several people died in the recent East Coast snowstorm when CO backed up into their cars because the exhaust pipe was blocked.

5. Know the symptoms of CO poisoning

People can be harmed by a small amount of carbon monoxide over a long period, or a large amount over a short period. Because you might not be able to identify when you’re in a dangerous situation, it pays to know what symptoms to look for:

1. Low to moderate CO poisoning: headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness.
2. High-level CO poisoning: mental confusion, vomiting, loss of coordination, loss of consciousness.

If you suspect CO poisoning, move the person (and yourself) outside immediately and call 911.

Remember, the important thing to know about carbon monoxide is this: Without CO detectors (and other common-sense measures), you won’t know when you’re at risk. So, take steps to protect yourself and your family today.

Conclusion:

Regular Carbon Monoxide Testing is important to ensure the health and safety of your family. If you suspect that there may be a problem with your home's ventilation, be sure to contact a qualified professional for assistance. A Ducted Cleaning Melbourne professional can help you get to the bottom of the problem and keep your family safe.