How to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Leaks in Your Home

Icy temperatures drive homeowners to seal up their homes and raise the thermostat, increasing the risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Close to 50,000 people in the U.S. go to the emergency room each year due to unintended CO poisoning, and more than 400 people die. 

This odorless, tasteless, colorless gas is a byproduct of incomplete combustion, meaning that it’s released each time a material burns. If the appliances in your home use natural gas, oil, propane, kerosene, wood, gasoline or charcoal, you’re at risk of CO exposure. Learn what happens when you inhale carbon monoxide fumes and how to minimize your risk of poisoning this winter. 

The Risks of Carbon Monoxide 

Frequently known as the “silent killer,” carbon monoxide is lethal because it prevents the body from processing oxygen properly. CO molecules displace oxygen in the blood, depriving the heart, brain, lungs and other vital organs of oxygen. Large amounts of CO can overwhelm your system in minutes, triggering loss of consciousness and suffocation. Without immediate care, brain damage or death could occur. 

Carbon monoxide poisoning can also occur progressively if the concentration is relatively low. The most common signs of CO poisoning include: 

• Headaches 

• Dizziness 
• Weakness 
• Fatigue 
• Nausea 
• Vomiting 

• Chest pain 
• Confusion 

As these symptoms imitate the flu, numerous people don’t discover they have carbon monoxide poisoning until moderate symptoms progress to organ damage. Look out for symptoms that subside when you leave the house, suggesting the source may be somewhere inside. 

Carbon Monoxide Safety Tips 

While CO inhalation is intimidating, it’s also entirely avoidable. Here are the best ways to help your family avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. 

Use Combustion Appliances Safely 

• Don’t leave your car running while parked in a covered or partially enclosed building, like a garage. 
• Never use a generator, lawn mower or other gasoline-powered tool in an indoor space such as a basement or garage, irrespective of how well-ventilated it may be. Also, keep these devices around 20 feet away from open windows, doors or intake vents. 

• Avoid using a charcoal grill or small camping stove inside a home, tent or camper. 
• Keep all vents and flues free of debris that may produce a blockage and cause backdrafting of carbon monoxide emissions. 

Install, Test and Replace the Batteries in Your Carbon Monoxide Detectors 

If you ever use combustion appliances in or close to your home, you should put in carbon monoxide detectors to warn you of CO leaks. These devices can be hardwired, battery-operated or plugged into an outlet based on the style. Here’s how to make the most of your carbon monoxide detectors: 

• Install your detectors securely: As you review potential locations, don’t forget that a home does best with CO alarms on all floors, near every sleeping area and close to the garage. Keep each unit a safe distance from combustion appliances and sources of heat and humidity. The higher on your wall or ceiling you can place your detectors, the better. 
• Review your detectors consistently: Most manufacturers recommend monthly testing to confirm your CO alarms are functioning properly. Just press and hold the Test button for 5 to 20 seconds, wait for the alarm to start and release the button. You should hear two quick beeps, observe a flash or both. If the detector does not work as anticipated, change the batteries or replace the unit entirely. 
• Replace the batteries: If these detectors are battery-powered models, swap out the batteries after six months. If you have hardwired devices using a backup battery, swap out the battery once a year or when the alarm begins to chirp, whichever comes first. Then, install new carbon monoxide alarms every 10 years or as frequently the manufacturer suggests. 

Arrange Annual Furnace Maintenance 

Several appliances, including furnaces, water heaters, fireplaces and clothes dryers, may leak carbon monoxide if the equipment is installed poorly or not working as it should. An annual maintenance visit is the only way to ensure if an appliance is defective before a leak appears. 

A precision tune-up from Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning offers the following: 

• Inspect the heating appliance for carbon monoxide leaks. 
• Spot any problems that could cause unsafe operation. 
• Review additional places where you would most benefit from setting up a CO detector. 

• Tune up your system so you know your heating and cooling is functioning at peak safety and efficiency. 

Contact Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning 

If your gas furnace, boiler or water heater has sprung a CO leak, or you want to prevent leaks before they happen, Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning can help. Our HVAC maintenance and repair services help provide a safe, warm home all year-round. Get in touch with your local Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning office for more info about carbon monoxide safety or to schedule heating services.