How to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Leaks in Your Home

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

This odorless, tasteless, colorless gas is a result of incomplete combustion, meaning it’s produced any 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 inhalation. Learn what happens when you breathe in carbon monoxide fumes and how to reduce your risk of poisoning this winter. 

The Risks of Carbon Monoxide 

Frequently referred to as the “silent killer,” carbon monoxide is lethal because it keeps the body from taking in oxygen properly. CO molecules dislodge oxygen that’s part of the blood, starving the heart, brain, lungs and other vital organs of oxygen. Large amounts of CO can overtake your system in minutes, leading to loss of consciousness and suffocation. Without prompt care, brain damage or death may occur. 

Carbon monoxide poisoning can also take place slowly if the concentration is fairly modest. The most frequent signs of CO exposure include: 

• Headaches 

• Dizziness 
• Weakness 
• Fatigue 
• Nausea 
• Vomiting 

• Chest pain 
• Confusion 

Because these symptoms resemble the flu, many people won’t learn they have carbon monoxide poisoning until mild symptoms evolve to organ damage. Watch out for symptoms that subside when you aren’t home, illustrating the source could be originating from inside. 

Carbon Monoxide Safety Tips 

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

Use Combustion Appliances Properly 

• Never let your car engine run while parked in a covered or partially enclosed structure, such as a garage. 
• Don’t run a generator, lawn mower or other gasoline-powered tool in a confined space like a basement or garage, no matter how well-ventilated it might be. Also, keep these devices at least 20 feet away from open windows, doors or intake vents. 

• Don’t use a charcoal grill or portable camping stove inside a home, tent or camper. 
• Keep all vents and flues clear of debris that can create a blockage and cause backdrafting of carbon monoxide fumes. 

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

If you ever operate combustion appliances in or near your home, you should add carbon monoxide detectors to alert you of CO leaks. These alarms can be hardwired, battery-operated or plugged into an outlet according to the style. Here’s how to take full advantage of your carbon monoxide detectors: 

• Install your detectors securely: As you think about possible locations, keep in mind that a home does best with CO alarms on each floor, near each sleeping area and adjacent to the garage. Keep each unit a safe distance from combustion appliances as well as sources of heat and humidity. The higher on the wall or ceiling you can place your detectors, the better. 
• Review your detectors consistently: The majority of manufacturers recommend monthly testing to confirm your CO alarms are functioning correctly. Simply press and hold the Test button for 5 to 20 seconds, wait for the alarm to start and release the button. You will hear two short beeps, watch a flash or both. If the detector won’t work as it’s supposed to, swap out the batteries or replace the unit outright. 
• Change out the batteries: If these detectors are battery-powered models, change the batteries every six months. If you favor hardwired devices using a backup battery, swap out the battery once a year or if the alarm starts chirping, whichever comes first. Then, install new carbon monoxide alarms every 10 years or as often as the manufacturer suggests. 

Plan for Annual Furnace Maintenance 

Multiple appliances, including furnaces, water heaters, fireplaces and clothes dryers, could release carbon monoxide if the appliance is installed poorly or not performing as it should. A once-a-year maintenance visit is the only way to ensure if an appliance is malfunctioning before a leak develops. 

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

• Inspect the heating appliance for carbon monoxide leaks. 
• Look for any troubling concerns that might lead to unsafe operation. 
• Review additional places where you would most benefit from putting in a CO detector. 

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

Contact Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning 

If your gas furnace, boiler or water heater has formed a CO leak, or you want to stop leaks before they happen, Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning can help. Our HVAC maintenance and repair services promote a safe, comfortable home all year-round. Call your local Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning office for more information about carbon monoxide safety or to schedule heating services.