OCTOBER

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October Newsletter

Carbon Monoxide: The Hidden Threat

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless and potentially dangerous gas produced when fuel burns without enough air for complete combustion. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include fatigue, headache, dizziness, nausea, coughing, irregular breathing, paleness and cherry red lips and ears.

If symptoms are noticed, it is advised that you immediately open windows and doors to ventilate the home or structure, call 911 and get outside into fresh air. Later, have appliances checked carefully by a qualified heating contractor.

Carbon monoxide detectors should be placed on each floor of your home. When placing your CO detectors, it is important to select areas near bedrooms, in rooms over or near a garage, in the basement or other isolated area, and in rooms where space heaters are used. Check with the manufacturer to see how often your CO detectors should be replaced. Make sure it is installed according to its directions so it will work properly. To minimize carbon monoxide risk:

Have your chimney and flue cleaned every year.

Get a qualified inspector to check appliances and heating systems each year.

Be sure all home appliances have adequate ventilation.

Properly insulate and weatherize your home to allow sufficient appliance ventilation.

Don’t rely on carbon monoxide detectors as a substitute for maintaining appliances, furnaces or chimneys.

Be sure burner flames are blue, not orange.

Never use a gas range for space heating.

Never run an automobile or gasoline engine in an enclosed space.

Never use a charcoal grill indoors.

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