Fall is here and winter is fast approaching. This means we will soon be turning on our heat and lighting our fireplaces for the first time in six months. We need to make sure that our families are protected from carbon monoxide poisoning that can happen when we turn on broken or un-serviced appliances. It can also happen when you use your fireplace and it is not vented properly. Each year in America, according to the consumer product safety commission, more than 150 people die from accidental non-fire related carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning associated with consumer products. These products include faulty, improperly-used or incorrectly-vented fuel-burning appliances such as furnaces, stoves, water heaters and fireplaces. Most CO exposure occurs during the winter months, especially in December and January. It is very easy to prevent this from happening to your family. All you need to do is install co detectors in your house. CO is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas so without the addition of the detectors into your home safety plan you have no way of knowing if you are in danger. The first way you can install CO detectors is by going to your local hardware store. They will have many models for you to choose from ranging from about $20 to $60 in price. You need to keep in mind when choosing that you will need more than just one. Its a good idea to place them through out the house especially by bedrooms or places where appliances could have a leak. By placing the detectors in these key places it should give you ample time to get out of the house or open a window to vent the area. The second option is if you already have a monitored home security system, inquire about adding a monitored CO detector. There are many advantages to monitoring. It increase the evacuation time for the home, emergency medical help can immediately be dispatched by the monitoring station and first responders can help people get out of the home safely. Carbon monoxide is the leading cause of airborne poisoning in the US. With a little preparation and planning we can put an end to this silent killer.
