Carbon Monoxide

Did You Know...

Carbon monoxide (CO) is often called the "Invisible Killer" because it's a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas.
Improperly used or incorrectly vented fuel burning appliances, such as furnaces, stoves, water heaters, generators and fireplaces, emit CO gases.
Vehicles or generators running in an attached garage can also produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.
An average of 430 people in the Unites States die every year from accidental, non-fire related CO poisoning.
Because CO is odorless, colorless, and otherwise undetectable to the human senses, people may not know they are being exposed.
A person can be poisoned by a small amount of CO over a longer period of time or by a large amount of CO over a shorter amount of time.
Initial symptoms of low to moderate CO poisoning are flu-like.

Home heating systems should be inspected and serviced annually by a trained service technician.
Never use portable generators inside homes or garages, even if doors and windows are open.
Use generators outside only, far away from the home.
Never bring a charcoal grill into the house or garage for heating or cooking.
Never use a gas range or oven for heating.
An open fireplace damper may help prevent build-up of poisonous gases inside the home.
Know the symptoms of CO poisoning: headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness.
High level, CO poisoning results in progressively more severe symptoms, which include: mental confusion, vomiting, loss of muscular coordination, loss of consciousness, and death.

This page was last modified on 11/29/2021