According to the West Virginia State Fire Marshal's Office, carbon monoxide problems will be on the rise around homes across the country this winter.
The West Virginia State Fire Marshal's Office and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission are warning the public of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Carbon monoxide (abbreviated as CO) is an oderless poisonout gas produced by incomplete burning of solid, liquid and gaseous fuels.
Appliances fueled with natural gas, liquefied petroleum, oil, kerosene, coal or wood may produce CO. Burning charcoal and running cars also produce CO.
A press release from the state fire marshal’s office said carbon monoxide poisoning can happen at any time of the year, but the danger is greater during the winter.
The press release said hundreds of people die from carbon monoxide poisoning every year, and thousands of others suffer dizziness, nausea, and convulsions. The gas is odorless and colorless.
The press release contained several tips on carbon monoxide poisoning including:
√ One of the most dangerous wintertime sources of carbon monoxide is car exhaust. If you are stranded in your car and you keep the engine on in order to run your heater, make sure the exhaust pipe is clear. If the pipe is clogged with snow or other materials, the exhaust could back up into your car.
√ Any appliance in your home that burns fuel may emit carbon monoxide. Gas kitchen ranges and kerosene space heaters may emit carbon monoxide if they are not properly ventilated. Be sure to read the instructions on your heater to vent it correctly.
√ Signs of carbon monoxide poisoning include headache, mental confusion, and extreme tiredness. Get to fresh air and call for help immediately.
√ If you have several gas-powered appliances, you may be constantly exposed to low levels of carbon monoxide. You may have mild health problems you haven't been able to explain, such as eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches; fatigue; nausea; heart palpitations; or breathing problems.
If you suspect you may have low-level carbon monoxide poisoning, call the local office of your utility company and ask them to check your gas appliances. Many utilities provide this service for free.
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include sleepiness, headaches and dizziness. If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, ventilate the area and get to a hospital.
To avoid dangers you should:
—Never run generators indoors. Open a window slightly when using a kerosene heater.
—Never use charcoal to cook indoors.
—Never use a gas oven to heat your home.
—Schedule a professional inspection each year of all fuel-burning home heating systems, including furnaces, boilers, fireplaces, wood stoves, water heaters, chimneys, flues and vents.
—Take precautions when using space heaters, fireplaces or other heating sources to help stay warm this winter.
—Install smoke alarms and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in the home and check that the batteries are fresh and working.
Each year, more than 200 Americans die from carbon monoxide poisoning. (CO is produced by fuel-burning motor vehicles, appliances, and heating systems.) In addition, several thousand individuals are treated in emergency departments for CO poisoning. The risk of CO poisoning increases during the winter, as more people run furnaces and space heaters and use fireplaces. Deaths from CO poisoning also occur when people sit in an idling vehicle with the doors and windows closed. One CDC study found that motor-vehicle-related CO poisoning exposures increase during winter months and that death rates from CO poisoning in stationary motor vehicles are highest in states with colder average winter temperatures. During just two days in January 1996, 22 people in New York City died from CO poisoning because their exhaust pipes were packed with snow, and CO backed up into their vehicles.
Carbon Monoxide detectors are inexpensive and easily available. For more information about them you can contact the Logan Fire Department at (304) 752-2777.
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