Carbon Monoxide Poisoning – How To Avoid It

March 13, 2023 3:14 pm Published by Leave your thoughts

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning – How To Avoid It

If you’re not careful, carbon monoxide (CO) can build up in your home and clog your red blood cells, blocking oxygen from getting to your organs. This can lead to serious health problems and even death.

Get A Carbon Monoxide Detector

CO is a by-product of incomplete combustion, which happens when fuels like wood, gasoline, coal, propane, natural gas and oil don’t burn completely. If it leaks into a confined space, such as your home, it can be deadly. A carbon monoxide detector is a life saver. Similar to smoke detectors, they sense the presence of carbon monoxide and warn you immediately. They work by using a concentration-time function, which means they won’t sound an alarm for a long time at low levels but will be activated soon when it becomes dangerously high.

Have Your Gas Appliances Checked Yearly

Unchecked and faulty gas appliances can pose two main risks to your home: Fires and explosions, and carbon monoxide poisoning. Having your gas appliances checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer is the best way to minimise these risks. Having your gas appliances checked annually is one of the best ways to ensure your safety. It can help reduce the risk of leaks and carbon monoxide poisoning. During the check, a Gas Safe registered engineer will do a visual review of pipework and a snugness test to confirm there are no gas leaks.

Don’t Leave A Vehicle Running In The Garage

Leaving a vehicle in an attached garage is a major carbon monoxide poisoning risk. A car left running in a garage can raise carbon monoxide concentrations to lethal levels in as little as a minute and linger in a home for hours. Especially in cold weather, it’s even more dangerous to run vehicles in enclosed spaces. In cold weather, vehicle exhaust fumes can reach toxic levels as quickly as a minute after starting the engine and may stay at these high concentrations for up to 10 hours.

Don’t Use Outdoor Appliances Indoors

Using appliances that are designed for outdoor use indoors, such as BBQs, generators, portable heaters or camping stoves, puts you at risk for CO poisoningEven if the level of CO inside is lower than outside, it still can cause illness and death.  If you do have to use a fuel-burning device indoors, make sure it’s properly vented and not located in any partially enclosed space. For example, a grill or camp stove should be kept at least 20 feet away from doors, windows and vents.

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