| Carbon monoxide is odorless and colorless, | | | | charcoal grill inside the house. |
| and that, of course, is exactly why it is so | | | | |
| deadly. | | | | Never use a gas oven or a barbecue grill to |
| | | | heat your home, say the fire chiefs and EMTs. |
| I interviewed three fire chiefs and two | | | | |
| emergency medical technicians in the area | | | | Carbon monoxide can also be a problem when |
| where I live in Wisconsin for a two-part | | | | certain areas of a home -- or a garage or a |
| series on carbon monoxide poisoning that I | | | | workshop -- are especially cold and people |
| wrote for the newspaper at which I am | | | | use a fuel-burning space heater (kerosene is |
| employed. | | | | a good example) to provide additional heat. |
| | | | |
| Here's what they had to say. . . | | | | Before using a fuel-burning space heater, get |
| | | | it checked out by a certified technician to |
| Furnaces | | | | make sure that it is functioning properly. |
| | | | And also be sure to operate it in a |
| Carbon monoxide is produced when fuels like | | | | well-ventilated area by opening windows and |
| wood, natural gas, gasoline, kerosene, | | | | doors. |
| charcoal, oil or coal do not have enough | | | | |
| oxygen to burn completely. | | | | A few years ago during the winter, an elderly |
| | | | neighborÕs furnace stopped working. She |
| In general, the symptoms of carbon monoxide | | | | could not afford to have the furnace fixed or |
| poisoning can include headache, nausea, | | | | replaced, so she purchased a kerosene heater |
| weakness, mental confusion and shortness of | | | | and was using it to heat the downstairs area |
| breath. Carbon monoxide poisoning often is | | | | of her house. |
| described as creating flu-like symptoms. | | | | |
| | | | One day, the driver of a fuel-delivery truck |
| According to the fire chiefs and EMTs, the | | | | stopped by to see if her liquid propane tank |
| number one cause for carbon monoxide | | | | needed to be filled. The driver noticed that |
| poisoning is a malfunctioning furnace, and | | | | the tank was at the same level it been at the |
| they all mentioned one specific case that | | | | last time he had stopped a month earlier, so |
| occurred in our area last fall. | | | | he went to house to make sure the woman was |
| | | | all right. |
| Members of a particular family noticed that | | | | |
| they were suffering from headaches and | | | | He knocked on the front door, and as soon as |
| nausea. When they left the house during the | | | | the woman opened the door, he said he was |
| day, the headaches and nausea went away. When | | | | nearly overcome by the kerosene fumes that |
| they returned at night, the headaches and | | | | billowed from the house. He found out that |
| nausea returned. Still, the symptoms were | | | | the womanÕs furnace had stopped working |
| nothing more than an annoying headache and a | | | | and alerted the proper authorities who were |
| bit of nausea so they thought nothing of it. | | | | able to provide emergency shelter until a |
| Perhaps the whole family had been exposed to | | | | human services agency could arrange for |
| a virus of some kind. | | | | funding to replace the furnace. |
| | | | |
| As the weather grew colder, the family began | | | | The elderly are more susceptible to fumes and |
| using the furnace more and more. The symptoms | | | | to carbon monoxide poisoning, said the fire |
| grew worse until one evening, a family member | | | | chiefs and EMTs, and in this case, the woman |
| called 911 because they were all so ill. | | | | was lucky to have survived the experience. |
| | | | |
| First responders on the scene recognized the | | | | If you must operate a fuel-burning space |
| symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning and | | | | heater, be sure to open some windows. |
| called the fire department. When firefighters | | | | |
| put the carbon monoxide tester by the heat | | | | Carbon Monoxide Detectors |
| register, it went off the scale. EMTs had to | | | | |
| wait to enter the home until the the windows | | | | Carbon monoxide detectors can be purchased at |
| and doors had been opened to clear out the | | | | most hardware stores, and prices can be |
| carbon monoxide. | | | | anywhere from $20 up to around $50. |
| | | | |
| Fortunately, all of the family members | | | | Many different types of detectors are |
| survived. | | | | available, ranging from a straight carbon |
| | | | monoxide detector, to a combination detector |
| The fire chiefs and EMTs recommend having | | | | that will alert you to the presence of carbon |
| your furnace checked by a certified furnace | | | | monoxide or natural gas, to units that are a |
| technician in late summer or early fall so | | | | combination carbon monoxide and smoke |
| that you know your furnace is functioning | | | | detector. |
| properly when heating season arrives. | | | | |
| | | | Some detectors are battery operated, some |
| If your furnace has vent pipes near ground | | | | plug into an outlet, and some have digital |
| level outside your home, check the pipes when | | | | read-outs. No matter what type of detector |
| the temperature is below freezing to make | | | | you have in your home, if the alarm is going |
| sure they are not plugged by snow or ice. | | | | off, call the fire department, the gas |
| | | | company or a furnace repair technician to |
| Garages | | | | check it out. |
| | | | |
| Garages can also be a source of carbon | | | | The fire chiefs and EMTs noted that putting a |
| monoxide. | | | | carbon monoxide detector near your |
| | | | fuel-burning furnace is a good idea. Carbon |
| When the weather is very cold, people will | | | | monoxide detectors should also be installed |
| start their car in a garage that is attached | | | | on every level of the house, near the main |
| to a house to let it warm up. | | | | family area and near the bedroom areas. |
| | | | |
| But even with the garage door open, carbon | | | | If you have a gas water heater or a gas dryer |
| monoxide can seep in your home, say the fire | | | | or a gas stove in the kitchen, you might want |
| chiefs and EMTs. If the weather is cold for a | | | | to install carbon monoxide detectors near |
| week or more, the carbon monoxide can | | | | those appliances as well. |
| eventually build up to dangerous level inside | | | | |
| the house. And because new houses are built | | | | And always be sure to buy detectors that have |
| to be air-tight and energy-efficient, the | | | | been approved by a recognized testing agency |
| carbon monoxide has little opportunity to | | | | and have a seal of approval. Follow the |
| escape. | | | | recommendations on the box as to how many |
| | | | detectors should be installed and where they |
| In the good old days when people lived in | | | | should be installed for that particular |
| drafty houses where the curtains moved in the | | | | detector. |
| winter, you never heard of anyone being | | | | |
| poisoned by carbon monoxide, said one of the | | | | Additional Tips to Avoid Carbon Monoxide |
| EMTs. | | | | Poisoning |
| | | | |
| If you want to let your car run for a while | | | | Remember that the symptoms of carbon monoxide |
| to warm it up, back it out of the garage and | | | | poisoning include sleepiness, headache, |
| shut the door, say the fire chiefs and EMTs. | | | | nausea, weakness, shortness of breath and |
| | | | mental confusion. |
| Garages also can pose a problem during winter | | | | |
| weather for people who like to work on their | | | | If symptoms get better when you leave the |
| cars. | | | | house but get worse when you return, you |
| | | | might want to suspect that carbon monoxide |
| Last year, the 22-year-old grandson of one of | | | | poisoning is the culprit. |
| our church members died while working on his | | | | |
| car. The weather was especially cold outside, | | | | If you think you have been exposed to carbon |
| so he was working on his car in the garage | | | | monoxide, leave your house and call the fire |
| with the door closed. The young man would | | | | department from a friend's or neighbor's |
| make adjustments to the engine, start the car | | | | house (or use your cell phone) and do not go |
| to see how it was running, shut it off, make | | | | back inside until the house has been checked. |
| more adjustments, start it again. Eventually | | | | |
| he was overcome by carbon monoxide. | | | | Do not open doors and windows until the fire |
| | | | department or a furnace repair technician or |
| Do not start your car (or snowmobile or | | | | a utility company employee has checked your |
| all-terrain vehicle or motorcycle) in the | | | | home for carbon monoxide. Opening the doors |
| garage with the door closed for any reason. | | | | and windows will reduce the amount of carbon |
| | | | monoxide, and the testing device will not |
| Alternative Sources of Heat | | | | give adequate information about the carbon |
| | | | monoxide level in your home. |
| If the electricity goes out in the winter, | | | | |
| people are sometimes tempted to try to keep | | | | If you suspect that a friend, relative or |
| their home warm until the electricity comes | | | | neighbor has been overcome by carbon |
| back on by turning on a gas oven and opening | | | | monoxide, leave the home immediately and call |
| the door or by starting a gas grill or | | | | the fire department. |