Dangers of Carbon Monoxide

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, carbon monoxide poisoning kills hundreds of unsuspecting victims in the United States every year. Often called the “Silent Killer” because it is virtually undetectable by the human senses, carbon monoxide is the product of burning fuel like wood, kerosene, charcoal, and gas. Though it is normal for household fuel-burning appliances to produce small amounts of carbon monoxide, when one of them malfunctions, as they often do, unsafe levels of carbon dioxide can get trapped inside your house and pose a serious danger to you and your family.
In order to protect your loved ones, keep an eye out for the following symptoms that should alert you to the presence of carbon monoxide in your home: dizziness, confusion, headaches, fainting, nausea, and shortness of breath. Those with a history of heart or respiratory illness, children, and the elderly are more likely to be affected by the presence of carbon monoxide and may display symptoms before healthy adults. If you believe carbon monoxide is present in your home, exit the house immediately and turn off fuel burning appliances as you go. In addition to causing long term health problems and possibly death, carbon monoxide is extremely flammable and will readily combust if it comes in contact with merely a spark.
The best way to protect your home from carbon monoxide is to install a carbon monoxide detector. These days carbon monoxide detectors are relatively affordable and come in a variety of forms, including those that simply plug into a wall or that are battery powered like smoke detectors. Many home security systems like the ones provided by Blue Light Security and ADT have carbon monoxide detectors built in. These offer the most protection to your family because they send an instant emergency signal to an operator who will notify local emergency personnel even if you aren’t home to do it yourself.

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