Important – Read Only If You Live in a Building

I’ve recently been reminded of a common danger that we can all easily avoid – carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.  Most of us know to not run a generator or a barbecue indoors where it’s not properly ventilated, but as a Realtor helping buyers all the time, I do see cracked heat exchangers on furnaces during inspections fairly regularly.  These can be emitting the colorless, odorless, lethal gas in very small amounts for quite a while, and owners may not recognize the symptoms like dull headache, nausea, confusion and fatigue.

 

CO poisoning is the LEADING cause of accidental poisoning deaths in the US, with around 500 people killed annually, and another 15,000 admitted to hospitals for treatment.  It’s not an easy treatment, and it can require a long hospital stay – it can also lead to brain damage.

 

Often associated with faulty heating systems or suicide attempts, it can also occur due to fireplaces and boats with improper ventilation, or back drafting, tying up to, or swimming near a boat’s running engine.  Children riding in the enclosed part of pickup trucks are at a huge risk of poisoning.  CO is slightly lighter than air and therefore rises in a home, but it’s so similar to air, that it’s easily trapped in low areas as well.

 

Your best protection is to install a carbon monoxide alarm on EACH level of your home or boat as your first line of defense, preferably near the ceiling. According to the National Fire Protection Association, some 93% of homes have smoke alarms, yet the Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that only 15% have carbon monoxide alarms.  Most CO alarms have a lifespan of about 2 years, and they’re required by law in some states – will you go today, to make sure your CO monitors are up to date?