In our last post, we described the dangers of carbon monoxide, but there’s no reason to live in fear. There are plenty of preventative measures you can take to ensure that your home is never threatened by the silent killer. If you follow the carbon monoxide safety tips we outline below, you should never have to worry about a CO problem in your home.
Carbon Monoxide Safety Tips
Inspection
The most important thing you can do to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning in your home is to schedule regular visits from a home services professional to inspect, clean, and repair your central heating system, water heater, and any other fuel-burning appliances.
Monitoring
In between annual inspections, keep an eye on your major fuel-burning appliances, chimneys, and vents for signs of blockage of corrosion such as visible soot, rust, or other stains.
Fireplaces
If you have a wood-burning fireplace in your home, ensure that the flue is open whenever it is in use. Gas trapped in enclosed, unventilated spaces is one of the leading causes of CO poisoning. Have your chimney professionally cleaned once a year.
Generators and Space Heaters
Only use generators and space heaters in well-ventilated spaces. Never use a generator indoors, and make sure it is the manufacturer-recommended distance from your house. These devices can both cause CO to rapidly reach fatal concentration levels if not used with caution.
Install a Carbon Monoxide Detector
Even if you’re familiar with the signs and symptoms of CO exposure, it’s a good idea to install a CO detector in your home. A CO detector is not interchangeable with a smoke detector, but they serve similar functions. Like a smoke detector, a CO detector will ring an alarm signal if it detects CO in your home. Make sure you don’t install your detector close to a fuel-burning appliance, as they can emit small amounts of CO in their normal function. Never ignore a CO alarm. Because CO is colorless and odorless, there is no way for you to tell if it’s a false alarm or not. CO detectors should be tested regularly.
Nest Protect carbon monoxide detector sends safety alerts straight to your phone. Just swipe to turn it off if you know you’re safe, or follow the instructions to make your way to safety.
Special Offer! Get a free Nest Protect and two Nest Learning Thermostats with the purchase of a replacement furnace or A/C system.
When it comes to carbon monoxide, prevention is the best protection. In addition to following these carbon monoxide safety tips, keeping up with regular maintenance and inspections will ensure that you and your family stay safe. If you can’t remember when your last inspection was, it’s been too long. Schedule an inspection from one of Bonfe’s home service experts today.