Part Two – Carbon Monoxide-The Silent Killer
Home Safety Tips
What You Can Do...
• Buy only appliances approved by a nationally recognized
testing laboratory.
• Choose fuel-burning appliances that can be vented to the
outdoors, whenever possible.
• Make sure appliances are installed according to manufacturer’s
instructions and local building codes. Most appliances should
be installed by professionals and should be inspected by the
proper authority after installation.
• Have the heating system, vents, chimney and flue inspected
and cleaned by a qualified technician every year.
• Follow manufacturer’s directions for safe operation of all
fuel-burning appliances.
• Examine vents and chimneys regularly for improper
connections, visible rust or stains.
• Open a window when a fireplace or wood-burning stove is in
use, and provide adequate outdoor air for furnace and water
heater.
• Notice problems that could indicate improper appliance
operation:
– Decreasing hot water supply
– Furnace unable to heat house or runs constantly
– Sooting, especially on appliances
– Unfamiliar or burning odor
– Yellow or orange flame
• Be aware of the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning:
– headaches, dizziness, weakness, sleepiness, nausea,
vomiting, confusion and disorientation.
• Recognize that CO poisoning may be the cause when family
members suffer from flu-like symptoms that don’t disappear
but improve when they leave home for extended periods of
time.
What You Should Not Do...
• Never burn charcoal inside a home, garage, cabin, RV or
camper.
• Never install, service, or convert fuel-burning appliances from
one type to another without proper knowledge, skills and tools.
• Never use a gas range, oven, or clothes dryer for heating.
• Never operate unvented gas-burning appliances, such as
kerosene or natural gas space heaters, in a closed room.
• Never operate gasoline-powered engines (like vehicles,
motorcycles, lawn mowers, yard equipment or power tools)
in confined areas such as garages or basements, even if an
outside door or window is open.
• Never ignore a safety device when it shuts off an appliance.
• Never ignore a CO alarm.
Be Aware of the Warning Signs of Carbon Monoxide:
Clues You Can See...
• Streaks of carbon or soot around the service door of your
fuel-burning appliances.
• A yellow or orange flame may indicate a problem with
natural gas appliances.
• Excessive rusting on flue pipes or appliance jackets.
• Loose or missing furnace panel.
• Moisture collecting on the windows and walls of furnace
rooms.
• Loose or disconnected vent/chimney, fireplace or appliance.
• Small amounts of water leaking from the base of the chimney,
vent or flue pipe.
• Rust on the portion of the vent pipe visible from outside your
home.
• The absence of a draft in your chimney (indicating blockage).
• Fallen soot from the fireplace chimney.
• Loose, damaged or discolored bricks on your chimney.
Clues You Cannot See...
• Internal appliance damage or malfunctioning components
• Improper burner adjustment
• Hidden blockage or damage in chimneys
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