It’s a beautiful balance. Animals – like us humans – inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. Plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen, the reason our atmosphere doesn’t fill up with carbon dioxide and suffocate all animal life. This creates a wonderful cycle of breathable air.
But when we take just one oxygen molecule out of that equation and create carbon monoxide, breathing becomes very difficult and the air around us becomes poison.
At Maertin Heating and Cooling, we take the possibility of your family’s exposure to carbon monoxide (CO) deadly serious – because exposure to CO causes serious health issues and prolonged exposure is lethal. In fact, over 400 people in the U.S. die each year because of accidental CO poisoning.
CO is an odorless, colorless, and tasteless gas that is typically produced by the partial combustion of carbon-containing compounds, such as natural gas, propane, charcoal, wood, gasoline, oil, and kerosene. When you’re burning these compounds outdoors, like in your patio grill or firepit, the CO can’t build up to dangerous concentrations. If you’re burning these compounds in an enclosed area, CO can build up, lower the concentration of oxygen, and create a deadly risk.
Using your furnace, your gas stove, your fireplace or wood-burning stove all produce CO, and CO can build up from vehicle exhaust in garages.
Burning any carbon-based fuel will produce CO. All homes should be properly vented to maintain safe air quality in the home and all homes should be equipped with carbon monoxide detectors near every sleeping area.
Because CO is undetectable by our senses, a monitor ensures that you’ll be aware of any CO build-up before your family may experience the dangerous effects of the gas.
When CO builds up, it replaces the oxygen in the air, which then gets taken into the lungs. Instead of carrying oxygen to the organs, the red blood cells carry CO throughout the body. This results in headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. You may notice an irregular heartbeat, or pale skin with cherry red lips and ear tips.
Over time, CO exposure can damage organs. CO poisoning can quickly advance from fatigue to impaired coordination, reduced brain function, and eventually death. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that CO poisoning accounts for 100,000 emergency room visits and 14,000 hospitalizations.
In addition to installing and maintaining CO detectors, minimize the risk of CO by keeping your furnace and other gas appliances vented and maintained. Seals and joints can wear down over time, creating leaks, so regular maintenance prevents CO leakage.
If you are using gas-powered generators and heaters in an emergency, be sure to place them outside of the home, at least 20 away from any doors, windows or vents. Never use your gas oven to heat your home. When cooking, vent the air using an exhaust hood that vents to the outdoors, cracking a window or both.
If your CO detector sounds, indicating high levels of the gas, get all people and pets outside to fresh air immediately. Call 9-1-1. You and your family will need to be seen by medical professionals. While the effects of mild CO poisoning can be reversed with prompt treatment, there is a risk of permanent damage to the brain and heart.
When the fire department locates the source of the CO leakage, call industry professionals, such as Maertin Heating & Cooling technicians, to fix or replace the damaged equipment and determine if venting needs to be improved.
Do not return to the home until the situation has been repaired and a new CO detector has been installed.
CO detectors are the absolute best protection against CO poisoning. If you are unsure about which detector is best for your home and where they should be placed within your home, contact Maertin Heating & Cooling. We will be happy to help!