How to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Leaks in Your Home

Icy temperatures lead homeowners to seal up their homes and turn up the thermostat, increasing the risk of carbon monoxide (CO) inhalation. Close to 50,000 people in the U.S. end up in the emergency room annually as a result of inadvertent CO poisoning, and more than 400 people die.

This odorless, tasteless, colorless gas is a byproduct of incomplete combustion, which means it’s produced any time a material is combusted or used for fuel. If the appliances in your home run on natural gas, oil, propane, kerosene, wood, gasoline or charcoal, you’re at risk of CO inhalation. Find out what happens when you inhale carbon monoxide emissions and how to minimize your risk of poisoning this winter.

The Dangers of Carbon Monoxide

Commonly known as the “silent killer,” carbon monoxide is lethal because it keeps the body from processing oxygen correctly. CO molecules uproot oxygen that’s part of the blood, starving the heart, brain, lungs and other vital organs of oxygen. Large amounts of CO can overwhelm your system in minutes, leading to loss of consciousness and suffocation. Without prompt care, brain damage or death can occur.

Carbon monoxide poisoning can also happen progressively if the concentration is fairly modest. The most frequent signs of CO exposure include:

• • Headaches

• • Dizziness

• • Weakness

• • Fatigue

• • Nausea

• • Vomiting

• • Chest pain

• • Confusion

Since these symptoms imitate the flu, a lot of people don’t learn they have carbon monoxide poisoning until moderate symptoms progress to organ damage. Be wary of symptoms that decrease when you leave home, indicating the source could be originating from inside.

Carbon Monoxide Safety Tips

While CO inhalation is intimidating, it’s also entirely avoidable. Here are the ideal ways to keep your family safe from carbon monoxide gas.

Use Combustion Appliances Correctly

• • Don’t run your car engine while parked in an enclosed or partially enclosed structure, like a garage.

• • Don’t run a generator, lawn mower or other gasoline-powered system in an enclosed space such as a basement or garage, irrespective of how well-ventilated it may be. Also, keep these devices around 20 feet away from open windows, doors or intake vents.

• • Never use a charcoal grill or small camping stove inside a home, tent or camper.

• • Keep all vents and flues clear of debris that may lead to a blockage and trigger backdrafting of carbon monoxide gases.

Install, Test and Replace the Batteries in Your Carbon Monoxide Detectors

If you ever run combustion appliances in or around your home, you should put in carbon monoxide detectors to notify you of CO gas. These devices can be hardwired, battery-operated or plugged into an outlet depending on the style. Here’s how to make the most of your carbon monoxide detectors:

• • Install your detectors properly: As you review potential locations, keep in mind that a home needs CO alarms on each floor, near any sleeping area and close to the garage. Keep each unit away from combustion appliances as well as sources of heat and humidity. The higher on your wall or ceiling you can place your detectors, the better.

• • Review your detectors consistently: The majority of manufacturers encourage monthly testing to ensure your CO alarms are functioning like they should. Simply press and hold the Test button for 5 to 20 seconds, wait for the alarm to begin and let go of the button. You will hear two short beeps, see a flash or both. If the detector does not function as expected, replace the batteries or replace the unit altogether.

• • Replace the batteries: If your alarms are battery-powered models, swap out the batteries every six months. If you prefer hardwired devices with a backup battery, swap out the battery once a year or if the alarm begins to chirp, whichever comes first. Then, install new carbon monoxide alarms every 10 years or whenever the manufacturer recommends.

Schedule Annual Furnace Maintenance

Many appliances, including furnaces, water heaters, fireplaces and clothes dryers, may leak carbon monoxide if the system is installed poorly or not running as it should. An annual maintenance visit is the only way to know for sure if an appliance is malfunctioning before a leak develops.

A precision tune-up from Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing includes the following:

• • Inspect the heating appliance for carbon monoxide leaks.

• • Spot any problems that could lead to unsafe operation.

• • Evaluate additional areas where you would most benefit from putting in a CO detector.

• • Tune up your system so you know your heating and cooling is operating at peak safety and efficiency.

Contact Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing

If your gas furnace, boiler or water heater has developed a CO leak, or you want to thwart leaks before they happen, Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing can help. Our HVAC and plumbing maintenance and repair services encourage a safe, warm home all year-round. Contact your local Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing office for more details about carbon monoxide safety or to ask for heating services.