Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a Very Dangerous Gas
Carbon Monoxide or CO is an extremely dangerous gas which is produced via the partial oxidation of a carbon containing mixtures. It is a odorless, tasteless and colorless gas which adds to the danger. The vast majority of homes in the Katy/Houston area are heated with natural gas furnaces and CO production is possible if the heating system is not maintained properly.
The signs of CO poisoning are important to be aware of and include headaches, shortness of breath, nausea, fatigue and dizziness..If you or your family suspect CO poisoning immediately leave the premises and call 911 after leaving. Take all people and pets in the home with you.
Every home I believe needs at a bare minimum one CO detector and the home should have several. The batteries of these detectors should be checked and replaced on a yearly basis. All heating systems, vents, chimneys and flues should be checked and cleaned once every year. Ideally, the system needs to be checked prior to turning on the heat. We had our system checked on Wednesday and turned on the gas heat afterwards.
Above picture courtesy of Bing free to share, modify and use pictures.
Make sure portable generators, furnaces and space heaters are functioning properly and working according to manufacturer's specifications.
One of my clients told me a story about two young guys who rented a home in Colorado to spend vacation time as they were from California. The home recently had work done on the furnace but was not properly tested. It got cold one evening early in their vacation stay and these guys turned on the gas heat. They were found dead several days later of CO poisoning. My client knew a friend of one the guys who died. My client has now become extremely conscious concerning CO and having numerous detectors in his homes.
It was very cold this morning here in katy being about 34 degrees when I got up at 5:20 AM to workout. I am positive everyone turned on their heat last night or this morning. If you have not had your system checked I recommend making an appointment to get it checked and you should examine all CO detectors plus replace batteries. If your home does not have a CO detector go to Home Depot, Lowes or Costco and buy one or more.
Comments(14)