November is Carbon Monoxide Awareness Month. Carbon Monoxide (CO) is often referred to as the silent killer because you can’t see it, smell it or taste it and it can be deadly to humans and pets. It’s difficult to detect but it is easily preventable. You might feel like I’m “preaching to the choir” but every running furnace comes with the risk of CO exposure.
Here’s how to avoid the dangers of carbon monoxide leaks from your furnace:
Annual maintenance. The most important thing you can do to prevent CO leaks from your furnace, regardless of age, is to get an annual tune up and safety inspection done by a qualified trained technician.
Change your air filter regularly. One cause of CO leaks is backup of airflow to your heating system.
Ensure your furnace was installed properly. Not only the blower motor, but if your ductwork wasn’t designed correctly, your furnace could develop issues with venting CO.
Install good quality carbon monoxide detectors that will warn you of high levels of CO.
Know the signs of CO poisoning. At a low CO concentration, you can experience fatigue or chest pain. At higher levels, people experience impaired vision and coordination, headaches, dizziness, confusion, or nausea. It may cause flu-like symptoms that clear up after you leave home.
Keep portable generators outside. Never use these in your home, garage or shed. Deadly levels of carbon monoxide can quickly build up and linger for several hours, even once the generator has been shut off.
We all remember the brutal joke Mother Nature played on us last winter. We completed hundreds of no heat calls that could have been prevented.
For safety’s sake don’t turn on your furnace until you’ve had your tune up and safety inspection.
Call 940-323-1051 and let us help keep you safe this winter.
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