Each Year hundreads of people die from Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning. 5 of these deaths alone In Minnesota could have been prevented.
What Is CO (Carbon Monoxide) ? It is a oderless and tastless gas that is produced from gasoline or diesel engines, burning wood, coal, charcoal, natural gas, home heating oil, methane, propane, and other type of fuel's.
What Is The Danger ? When any level of CO is present, CO enters the body undetected while you breathe. CO enters your blood stream and symptoms may appear as if you had the flu. Headache, light dizziness, light headedness, and or shortness of breath. High levels of CO can cause death in just a few minutes. A person can be poisoned by a small amount of CO over a large amount of time or be poisoned by a large amount of CO in a short amount of time.
Reduce Your Risk. Have your home heating oil or natural gas furnace inspected yearly or maintained by a trained qulified proffessional. Never use your gas oven to heat your home. Make sure that all vents for natural gas or propane appliances are free and clear. All fireplace chimmney flue(s) are also clear and inspected yearly. If using your fireplace or wood burning stove make sure chimney flue(s) are fully open.Never start your car in the garage to warm it up, remove it IMMEDIATELY from the garage after starting. Never run heaters or other fuel type power equipment in the garage, keep garage door open and use it OUTSIDE !
Install A CO Alarm In Your Home. CO alarms come both battery powered, hard wired into your homes electrical system, or plugs into a home electrcial outlet. Which ever alarm you choose make sure the alarm bears the ITL label (Independent Testing Labortory). CO alarms have to be installed with in a central location outside of sleeping areas. For example if there is 3 bedrooms upstairs and one down stairs, there will be two CO detectors installed one up and one down. If sleeping areas are far apart thene additional detectors will need to be installed.
Know The Difference. Smoke and CO detectors have different alarm sounds, test your CO alarm and make sure every one in your family knows the differance. If you do here your CO alarm follow your escape plan and go to a fresh air location and call for help. DO NOT ENTER until utility or emergency personell tell you it is safe. If you have any symptoms from above call 911 ! CO detectors also alert a trouble noise, this may indicate low batteriy or other problem, again know the difference.
Click Here to review and print the CO law for Minnesota.