Carbon Monoxide: 3 steps to prevent danger

By Whitney

Riddle: What gas is silent and colorless, but deadly? Hint: It does not come from your husband’s body.

The correct answer is carbon monoxide, and the fact is that most of us don’t know much about it. And unlike the gas that comes from our partners and children (and never from our own bodies, of course) it is odorless which means we can’t detect it ourselves.

Carbon monoxide, which goes by the abbreviation CO, can appear in our households when there is incomplete burning of fuel, such as propane, kerosene, gasoline, oil, natural gas, wood and charcoal.

So how can we reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning at home?

UL recommends a three-part strategy: INSPECT, PROTECT and DETECT.

INSPECT

Things to notice:

Streaks of carbon or soot around the service door of your fuel-burning appliances
Moisture collecting on the windows and walls of furnace rooms
Fallen soot from the fireplace or small amounts of water leaking from the base of the chimney

Action to take: have a qualified technician INSPECT your home once a year

PROTECT

Things to notice:

Existing CO alarms should be tested monthly for battery life
Alarms should not be installed directly above appliances that burn fuel

Action to take: Install UL-listed carbon monoxide alarms outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home.

DETECT

Things to notice:

If a CO alarm sounds, and the problem gets resolved, be on the lookout for symptoms of CO poisoning in your family members. These are flu-like and can include headaches and dizziness.

Action to take: Evacuate the house and move to a fresh-air location in the case of a CO alarm going off. Call the fire department.

For more information on CO safety tips, visit www.ul.com/consumers.