All About Carbon Monoxide
More and more each day we hear reports in the news about people dying from carbon monoxide poisoning. Of course these tragedies occur less frequently during the summer months but are all too common during the winter, especially when people first fire up their stoves or fireplaces in the fall. This is why Chimney Care Co. recommends performing any needed chimney maintenance in the summer before your chimney sweep’s schedule gets jam-packed.
Your home is an investment, and those of us at Chimney Care Company want to help you protect that investment. Do your part to protect your home and family from the devastation of fire and structural compromise by keeping up with your annual maintenance services.
If you’re not familiar with carbon monoxide beyond the rudimentary schooling you got when you learned about the periodic table in high school, you’ve come to the right place. In fact if you have a chimney, fireplace, and/or stove that you use even periodically, it’s even more important that you fully understand what carbon monoxide is and how to prevent it from venting into your living space. Awareness is the first step toward preventing what could be tremendous and irreversible tragedy.
“Not a day goes by that I don’t think of how easily their deaths could have been prevented,” says the relative of a family of four who died from carbon monoxide poisoning as the result of a blocked chimney flue.
About Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Carbon monoxide is called the “silent killer” because it is odorless, tasteless, and colorless; breathing it can kill you or cause the sudden onset of flu-like illness. Its familiar symptoms make it difficult to diagnose, and in fact people sometimes die in their sleep from CO2 poisoning without any forewarning.
CO2 poisoning happens rapidly because the human body mistakenly will begin to replace the oxygen in the body with the CO in the air, effectively blocking additional oxygen from getting in. Those who don’t die from CO2 exposure may suffer permanent brain or tissue damage.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 400 Americans die from unintentional CO poisoning each year, more than 20,000 visit the ER, and more than 4,000 are hospitalized. Americans 65 and older are most likely to die from CO2 poisoning; infants are also more susceptible.
CO2 is created by combustion, which means that owners of fireplaces and stoves—both gas- and wood-burning—should be especially careful to ensure that their heating appliance is connected properly and venting correctly and that their chimney flu is not blocked by nests, debris, or the buildup of creosote.
How to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
A chimney inspection conducted by a certified sweep should reveal any areas of concern. We also strongly recommend installation of a carbon monoxide detector. And, finally, awareness itself can be incredibly powerful.
If you live in southwestern Ohio or northern Kentucky and want to put your mind to rest about how safe your chimney or heating appliance is, contact Chimney Care Co. to schedule an appointment today.