Each year over 20,000 people go to the ER as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning. This odorless and colorless gas is referred to as the silent killer because it’s essentially undetectable without a carbon monoxide detector.
Carbon monoxide, according to the CDC, is produced by fireplaces, boilers, furnaces, stoves, and gas ranges so it only makes sense that carbon monoxide poisoning climbs during the winter months when people are trying to keep their homes heated. To help keep your family safe, Comfortech Service Experts is here with a few tips to safety keep your home heated.
- Put in a CO detector on every floor of your home and change the batteries every year.
- Keep all likely sources of combustion, such as clothing, rugs, or bedding, a minimum of three feet away from space heaters, stoves, furnaces or fireplaces.
- Before igniting a fire in the fireplace, always check to ensure the chimney damper is open and unblocked.
- Never leave portable heaters or fireplaces unattended. Power off space heaters and make sure all embers in the fireplace are completely extinguished before leaving the area.
- Space heaters should always be placed on the floor, and on a hard, fire-resistant surface, like ceramic tile. Keep children and animals away from space heaters.
- When buying a new space heater, buy a model that turns off automatically if the heater falls over.
- Never use a cooking range to warm your home.
- Have wood and coal stoves, fireplaces, chimneys and gas or oil furnaces professionally inspected and cleaned every year.
The ideal thing you can do for your heating equipment is to be sure it’s not only up to the task of keeping you warm all winter but also safe, is to schedule your furnace tune-up. During your furnace tune-up, Comfortech will check to ensure your furnace is operating safely with a full multi-point inspection and cleaning. Call 601-852-3105 today and find out how you can save on a fall tune-up through November 25th.