Carbon Monoxide-What You Do Not Know Could Kill You!

It is interesting that most people are very concerned about mold and allergies but totally forget about Carbon Monoxide. You cannot see Carbon Monoxide like you can mold. It does not irritate your skin or nose like a chlorine allergy does. Carbon Monoxide is a silent killer that needs to be targeted with importance by individuals with Asthma and Allergies.

Carbon Monoxide is produced by fuel burning appliances such as gas burning stoves. Gas stove need to be vented to the outside to prevent contamination of the air inside your home. It is important to check this venting system on a regular basis to see if it has been damaged or clogged up with some type of materials such bird's nesting materials. Recently, we inspected a home that had a serious exhaust leak in the laundry that was making the lady sick every time she did laundry. We checked out the hot water heater and found out that everytime it turned on, it was not exhausting properly, thus it backdrafted into room. The exhaust vent had a birds nest in it that was removed.

Another source of CO is your car in the garage or the gas powered hot water heater. Never start your car with the garage door closed. Some people start their car with the garage door closed before opening the door. This is not smart, due to things happening around you such as a distraction of a cell phone call that causes you to forget to open the door. In the meantime, CO is building up in the garage. Always open the door first, then take start the car.

Recently, it was all over the news about a family that was in the hospital because they were running a generator in the home for electricity. The father lost his job and the electricity was turned off. Fortunately, the family survived with no consequences to their health. Never run a generator in your home because of the CO from the engine.

In conclusion, Carbon Monoxide is a silent killer. At high concentrations, it can be fatal in a matter of minutes. We do not recommend installing a gas hot water in the house unless it has a forced air exhaust system. Today's homes are too tight to allow the proper drafting of the exhaust for any type of gas appliances. You will not get a warning unless you have a CO Detector installed in your home. All homes should be equipped with a CO Detectors especially if you have gas appliances in your home. Individuals with Asthma or Allergies can be especially sensitive to gas appliances.