With the weather turning colder, many homeowners are turning their furnaces on with little thought to whether the furnace exhaust system is ready to provide safe, effective service.
With the right preparation, you can avoid incidents with your furnace reducing your chance of Carbon Monoxide poisoning. Below are tips to help keep your home and family safe.
- Keep your vents clear – make sure nothing is obstructing the vents for your dryer, stove, furnace or fireplace
- Do not run engines in closed areas – Do not start your car, turn on a grill or stove or run a generator in closed areas such as basements or garages
- Schedule regular maintenance for each device
- Keep fireplaces clean and well vented
- Install CO alarms on every level of the home & maintain them regularly by changing the batteries as suggested by the manufacturer
- Never use your oven/range to heat your home
- Do not sleep in rooms where unvented gas/kerosene heater are present
Symptoms of CO poisoning include headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain and confusion. At higher concentrations, CO can cause loss of consciousness, or even death.
If you experience any of these symptoms and feel you have been exposed to CO poison, leave the area right away and call 911 or go to the emergency room.
