'Homes That Perform' Blog

Preventing Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: Recognizing The Threat!

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Too Many Homeowners Are Taking Unnecessary Risks!

Carbon monoxide poisoning can kill without warning, as your family sleeps. This information is to inform every homeowner what they need to know; what it is and how it occurs. (And yes, all of this to impress upon homeowners the importance of having a Furnace Tune-Up).

Here's what the Center For Disease Control states: CDC Each year, more than 400 Americans die from unintentional CO poisoning, more than 20,000 visit the emergency room and more than 4,000 are hospitalized due to CO poisoning. Fatality is highest among Americans 65 and older.

What Is It: Carbon Monoxide(CO) is a poisonous gas often referred to as a silent killer, and for good reason. It’s odorless and tasteless. When it’s released into the air, homeowners often can’t tell. Thousands of people across the country become sick from carbon monoxide each year, and tragically, hundreds will die from it. Carbon monoxide poisoning can kill everyone in your home.  It kills most people while they're sleeping.  They simply never wake up.

Signs or Symptoms: How you may feel if you're being poisoned by CO.

Individuals in the home could be exposed to lower levels of carbon monoxide poisoning and be completely unaware of the risk. CO poisoning can be difficult to detect, because its symptoms are the same as those of many other common ailments. For example, you may experience mild nausea or headaches, tiredness, difficulty thinking clearly and simply feeling sick all the time. Sometimes it may feel as though you have food poisoning or that you are coming down with flu. Moderate levels of exposure can result in death over a period of time. High levels can be fatal within a few minutes.

Beyond installing detectors, additional precautionary measures should be taken to help in protection. It is highly advisable to have the entire home heating system checked by a qualified technician (preferrably each year)