Know About Carbon Monoxide

If no carbon monoxide alarms are installed in your home the only way the presence of carbon monoxide can be detected is by the effects it has on individuals. Moderate levels of carbon monoxide effects include severe headaches, shortness of breath, dizziness, mental confusion, stumbling, nausea and fainting. Even with moderate levels of carbon monoxide present in your home death can result if the problem persists. Recognizing the symptoms is important because they can be confused easily with other ailments such as the flu or food poisoning.

There are a number of steps to take if you feel the effects of carbon monoxide symptoms poisoning:

·       Immediately open the windows and doors in your home and turn off any suspect appliances.

·       Vacate the building immediately.

·       Go to an emergency room to determine if you are in fact experiencing carbon monoxide poisoning. A doctor will be able to run a quick blood test to confirm if you have been poisoned.

·       If it is established that you are a victim of carbon monoxide poisoning, you will need to have all your home fuel burning appliances inspected for defects and repaired.

·       Check all fuel burning appliances once a year. Preferably in the fall when you begin using your furnace and normally opened doors or windows are closed.

Install carbon monoxide monitor:

It is important to install a carbon monoxide alarm so that you can add an extra level of protection. However, installing a carbon monoxide alarm is no substitute for proper maintenance and preventative measures. It is too easy for a carbon monoxide alarm to be poorly calibrated, which can either make the unit either too sensitive or not sensitive enough. Continual false alarms can be as dangerous as no alarm at all. An overly sensitive alarm that gives false warning tends to cause homeowners to ignore an alarm that may one day be essential.