Home > Blogs > Suesan Jenifer Therriault > JTHIS - Professional Home Inspection Team Blog

Carbon Monoxide: The Silent Killer

By Suesan Jenifer Therriault

Home Inspector with JTHIS-Professional Home Inspection Team NACHI 04062481

May 17, 2009 02:35 PM

Carbon Monoxide is a toxic gas which is both colorless and odorless. This means that because you can't see, smell or taste it, CO can kill you without you even knowing it's in your home. You can protect yourself and your family from CO poisoning by installing CO detectors in your home.

CO Detector_ JTHIS-Professional Home Inspection Team

I know many of you are probably thinking that with heating season behind us, there is little danger of being exposed to Carbon Monoxide. The truth is that if you have a gas stove, gas water heater, gas dryer or an attached garage you can still be exposed.

Carbon Monoxide detectors are inexpensive and simple to install. I suggest a combination smoke and CO detector in every bedroom as well as in each hallway of your house. Common side effects of Carbon Monoxide poisoning:
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Nausea

High concentrations of Carbon Monoxide exposure can be fatal. Protect yourself and your family, install detectors in your home and make sure you test them every 6 months.

Re-Blog

Comments(14)

Comment

Show All Comments Sort:

Dean Moss

Dean's Team - Keller Williams Realty Partners Chicago IL - Chicago, IL

Dean's Team Chicago IL Real Estate Team

Suesan -

We lost a client to CO poisoning earlier this year. Doctors said he never knew what was coming - died in his sleep!

Make sure those CO detectors in your home work correctly! In Chicago and IL, there must be one installed within 15 feet of every bedroom!

Thanks for the reminder!

DEAN & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO

May 17, 2009 02:41 PM

Suesan Jenifer Therriault

JTHIS-Professional Home Inspection Team - Blakeslee, PA

"Inspecting every purchase as if it were my own".

It's a personal subject with me as well. My daughters Junior year in High School a couple of girlsdied from CO poisoning during a sleep over. The parents and two daughters hosting the sleep over survived but they lost their oldest girl and a few of her friends that night. Their CO detectors failed.

Thanks for stopping by and commenting.

May 17, 2009 02:53 PM

Charles Buell

Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA

Seattle Home Inspector

Suesan, you make a great point that these things are important in the home year round.

May 17, 2009 03:20 PM

Bob Foster

Century 21 Lanthorn R. E. Ltd. Belleville, Ontario - Belleville, ON

Hi Suesan. We use wood heat and ours are plugged in year round. Never a beep from them so far, but it s great to have them for protection.

May 17, 2009 03:35 PM

Charles, it's amazing how many people don't believe CO detectors are important.

May 17, 2009 04:06 PM

Bob, we heat with wood as well. We have oil as a backup and ours are plugged in year round as well. So far we've never heard a beep either, but you're 100% correct ... I like having the protection.

May 17, 2009 04:08 PM

Tammy Lankford,

Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA

Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

I heat with wood too and I keep mine plugged in year round. That little test button makes me nervous though, just because it goes beep when I push the test button... does that really mean it will work when I need it. Hope so.

May 17, 2009 05:00 PM

Hi Tammy,
Yep, it should. I haven't heard otherwise from any other home inspector. Make sure you change your battery and have one on each floor within 15 feet of any bedroom. You should be fine.

May 17, 2009 05:14 PM

Marney Kirk

Cummings & Co. Realtors - Towson, MD

Towson, Maryland Real Estate

Suesan, you make an excellent point. We have natural gas for not just heat but our hot water heater. Thank you for the reminder. I am going to get some.

May 17, 2009 10:51 PM

Regina P. Brown

MBA Broker Consultants - Carlsbad, CA

M.B.A., Broker, Instructor

Suesan, this is a great topic, and very important! Thank you for posting these instructions, I agree that a CO2 detector is small enough and not expensive, every home should have one.

Your blog is now featured at http://activerain.com/groups/virtualoffice !

May 18, 2009 06:10 PM

Hi Marney. It's always good to be proactive; sometimes we don't get a second chance to get it right.
Sue

May 19, 2009 04:03 AM

Hi Irene, I hope so as well. CO can be deadly and like I said to Marney, we don't always get a second chance. Thanks for dropping by and commenting.
Sue

May 19, 2009 04:05 AM

Hi Regina, Thank you for the feature. I'm attempting to post a few safety tips we should always observe. Sometimes the simplest little things are the ones we forget and the most costly for our families.
Sue

May 19, 2009 04:08 AM

Jim Frimmer

HomeSmart Realty West - San Diego, CA

Realtor & CDPE, Mission Valley specialist

Remember to remind your Clients every six months to replace the batteries in their smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. It's a great way to be of help and keep your name in front of them.

May 21, 2009 11:43 AM

Comments(14)

Suesan Jenifer Therriault

Real Estate Resources