Every year over 20,000 people visit the ER due to carbon monoxide poisoning. The odorless, colorless gas is known as the silent killer because it’s practically undetectable without a carbon monoxide detector.
Carbon monoxide, as specified by the CDC, is given off by gas ranges, furnaces, fireplaces, stoves, and boilers so it only makes sense that carbon monoxide poisoning rises during the colder months when people are trying to warm their homes. To help keep your family safe, Norrell Service Experts is here with a couple tips to safety heat your home.
- Put in a CO detector on all floors of your home and replace the batteries annually.
- Keep all possible sources of combustion, such as paper, clothing, bedding, or rugs, a minimum of three feet away from fireplaces, furnaces, stoves, or space heaters.
- Before lighting a fire in the fireplace, make sure you check to verify the chimney damper is open and unobstructed.
- Never leave portable heaters or fireplaces neglected. Shut off space heaters and make sure all embers in the fireplace are totally extinguished before leaving either heating source unattended.
- Space heaters should always be situated on the floor, and on a hard, nonflammable surface, like concrete or tile. Keep children and pets away from space heaters.
- When investing in a new space heater, invest in a model that shuts off automatically if the heater falls over.
- Do not use a oven to warm your home.
- Have all stoves, fireplaces, chimneys, and all types of furnaces professionally checked and cleaned annually.
The ultimate thing you can do for your heating system is to be sure it’s not only all set to keep your family warm all winter but also safe, is to set-up your fall tune-up. During your heating tune-up, Norrell will check to ensure your furnace is operating safely with a full multi-point inspection and cleaning. Call 205-267-0023 today and learn how you can save on a heating tune-up through November 25th.