Stay Safe with Carbon Monoxide Detectors

In any system that relies on the burning of fuel to produce heat, such as a residential furnace, there is a potential hazard of exposure to carbon monoxide. To prevent this dangerous contact, you should ensure your home has a sufficient number of carbon monoxide detectors mounted in the appropriate places.

Why Worry about Carbon Monoxide?

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a tasteless, odorless, colorless gas produced when something burns, such as the fuel in a gas or propane furnace. It is highly poisonous and can cause death if enough of the gas is inhaled. Human senses cannot detect carbon monoxide, which means homeowners must turn to electronic sensing devices to determine when CO is present. This is the role of carbon monoxide detectors.

What Happens When Exposed to CO?

Carbon monoxide can cause multiple unpleasant physical symptoms even at minimal levels of exposure. At high levels, it can easily kill people and animals. Most CO deaths occur when individuals are exposed to the gas while they sleep. The ease with which CO can kill is another major reason why you should maintain carbon monoxide detectors in your home.

Symptoms of CO poisoning include confusion, nausea, headaches and dizziness. More extreme symptoms can include convulsions, nausea and a very flushed or red face. If you experience any of these symptoms, seek medical care immediately.

Staying Safe with Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Carbon monoxide detectors are designed to sense CO and sound a loud alarm if the gas is detected. You should:

• Change the batteries in your CO detectors at the same time fall preventive maintenance is performed on your heating system.
• Ensure there is at least one CO detector on each floor of your home and over the doorway of each bedroom.
• Test and clean CO detectors regularly (as often as once a week) to ensure continued operation.

Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning has more than thirty years of experience providing expert HVAC services to customers in Lorain, Erie, and Cuyahoga Counties. Contact us today for more information on carbon monoxide and the need for carbon monoxide detectors to maintain home safety.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

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