According to the Center for Disease Control, approximately 50,000 Americans visit the emergency room due to carbon monoxide, or CO, poisoning. Additionally, 430 people die in the U.S. from carbon monoxide exposure. It’s a serious health crisis that is completely preventable.
Why Do We Need CO Detectors?
In order to prevent these deaths, we use CO detectors. Why do we need to rely on these devices to ensure our safety? CO is odorless and colorless. Even if you are breathing it in, you may not realize it. Luckily, when your CO detector alarm goes off, we know it’s not safe.
What Are the Symptoms?
CO poisoning isn’t entirely unrecognizable. While people can’t recognize CO’s presence in the air, you can learn to recognize the symptoms. The most common are headache, nausea, confusion, blurred vision, weakness, and loss of consciousness.
However, these symptoms can be caused by other issues, such as the flu, so it’s still important to have a functioning alarm to know for sure. If you suspect someone is suffering from CO poisoning, get them to a CO-free environment outdoors and call 911 or a health care professional right away.
Preventative Measures
Of course, prevention goes beyond simply installing an alarm. We can limit CO exposure in our homes with a few simple tips.
Maintenance your gas or oil-burning appliances every year
Make sure you have adequate ventilation for gas appliances.
Get your chimney professionally cleaned or inspected every year.
Avoid using gas-burning appliances indoors. Leave your barbeque, portable stoves, and generators for outdoor use.
CO poisoning is entirely preventable, yet it hurts thousands of families every year. Do what you can to protect your family by installing a detector today. Educate the other members of your household about the CO alarm and what to do if it goes off.
Anderson Plumbing Heating and Electric can help you with carbon monoxide detector installation and maintenance. Give us a call at (334) 231-6980 or fill out an online contact form!