Keep Your Home Safe with These Tips and Tricks from Your Local O’Fallon HVAC Company
Carbon monoxide can pose a serious threat to your health and well-being, and like any other poisonous substances, you shouldn't take it lightly. This colorless, odorless gas causes many harmful symptoms and can even be life threatening if not noticed in time. The comfort professionals at Home Heating & Cooling want to ensure you have a good understanding of what carbon monoxide is, the dangers of CO poisoning and how you can prevent it.
Learning about carbon monoxide poisoning AND taking appropriate steps to protect your home is the right combination for keeping you and your family safe. Reach out to Home Heating & Cooling today at 618-416-0111 for more information, including the best products and services for carbon monoxide detection in O'Fallon and the surrounding communities.
What Is Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?
Carbon monoxide (CO) is so dangerous partly because it's a gas that you can't see, smell or taste. It forms as a byproduct when combusting fuels like wood, gasoline and natural gas. With proper ventilation, CO gas shouldn't reach concerning levels, but when too much CO builds up in an enclosed space, it could be dangerous. Breathing in carbon monoxide displaces oxygen, preventing your body from maintaining healthy levels in your bloodstream. Not only can this make you very sick, but high enough concentrations may be fatal.
Common residential sources of carbon monoxide include any gas appliances like an oven or water heater, as well as wood stoves, fireplaces and even car exhaust. If any of these sources aren’t properly ventilated or maintained, dangerous levels of CO can quickly accumulate. That's why having a CO detector is so important, and why O'Fallon carbon monoxide poisoning prevention is a top concern for any homeowner.
Common Signs of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Carbon monoxide poisoning can affect people at different rates. This makes it more difficult to notice the symptoms, especially since CO is odorless and invisible—it may just seem like allergies or other unrelated concerns. Here are some common signs of CO poisoning to watch for:
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Weakness
- Nausea and vomiting
And at higher concentrations, the symptoms become more severe:
- Shortness of breath
- Confusion
- Blurred vision
- Loss of consciousness
Remember, you can’t rely on your senses to detect CO gas. If someone in your family asks, "What does carbon monoxide poisoning smell like?"—make sure to tell them it doesn’t have a smell at all.
Whenever someone has been exposed to carbon monoxide and is experiencing symptoms, it's important to get them somewhere with fresh air as soon as you can before you call emergency services. Anyone affected can be treated while the leak or source is identified. Carbon monoxide poisoning treatment often involves breathing 100% oxygen through a mask, which helps the body expel the gas.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention: How to Minimize Your Risk
Preventing carbon monoxide buildup and poisoning starts with being cautious and smart about how your household uses fuel-burning utilities and appliances. They should always be used for their intended purpose only, and it helps even further if you can make sure they are well maintained.
Here are some other tips:
- Never use gas stoves or ovens to heat your home: Gas appliances put out lots of heat, but that doesn't mean they're safe or even efficient sources of home heating.
- Don't leave vehicles running while the garage is closed: CO levels can quickly rise if you leave your car idling in the garage.
- Keep charcoal grills and portable generators outside: These appliances can be convenient, but they're not designed for interior use.
- Stay on top of routine maintenance: Keeping your furnace, stove and water heater in the best possible condition minimizes the chance of a leak developing.
For an excellent layer of safety, you should have several carbon monoxide detectors in your home. When you have carbon monoxide detectors in O'Fallon, such as one per floor, they will alert you when CO levels are too high. Installing them in rooms with gas appliances as well as outside bedrooms gives everyone ample time to get out and stay safe.
Home Heating Always Puts Your Health and Comfort First
Making sure everyone in your household is informed about carbon monoxide poisoning is crucial for their safety, while carbon monoxide alarms can give you an early warning if something does go wrong.
Remember that tip about routine maintenance? Our comprehensive HVAC maintenance plan ensures that your heating system is running safely and efficiently, which means lowering the risk of CO leaks.
At Home Heating, we’re committed to your health and comfort. Let us help you with all your carbon monoxide prevention needs so you can feel secure in your home. Contact Home Heating & Cooling today at 618-416-0111 to learn more about carbon monoxide prevention.