With the start of the fall and winter heating season,
the Minnesota Commerce Department urges Minnesotans to be aware of the risks of
carbon monoxide poisoning.
Each year about 500 people die in the United States from
unintentional exposure to carbon monoxide (CO) – a silent, odorless, colorless
gas formed by the incomplete combustion of fuels.
Dangerous concentrations of CO can
build up indoors when fuel-burning devices are not properly vented, operated or
maintained. These include furnaces, water heaters, gas or kerosene space
heaters, gas boilers, gas ranges and ovens, gas dryers, charcoal or gas grills,
fireplaces and wood stoves, motor vehicles and yard equipment.
The risk of deadly CO poisoning is
greatest in the winter months, when a heating system may malfunction in a home
or a car engine is left running in a garage.
People can also be exposed to high CO
levels while camping, fishing, hunting or boating. For example, concentrated CO
can form in the cabin areas of boats or in ice houses with portable heating
equipment.
Here are three basic tips to prevent
CO poisoning:
Properly vent and maintain fuel-burning appliances
All fuel-burning appliances should
be vented to the outside and should be checked by a qualified heating
contractor every year to detect potential problems.
CO buildup in a home often results
from problems with venting flue gases. Causes may include a cracked furnace
heat exchanger, blocked or undersized chimney or vents, damaged or separated
vents, or insufficient combustion air supply.
An appliance intended for outdoor
use such as a barbecue grill, camp stove or portable generator should never be
used in an enclosed space. Do not idle a car in a garage, either attached or
unattached, for any length of time. Dangerously high CO levels can accumulate
even if the garage door is open.
Know the effects of CO poisoning
When CO is inhaled into the lungs,
it displaces the oxygen in the blood stream and affects all major organs and
muscles. Breathing
in high levels of CO can cause people to lose consciousness and die even before
they are aware of any symptoms.
CO exposure can produce flu-like
symptoms. The first signs may include mild headache and breathlessness with
moderate exercise. Continued exposure can lead to more severe headaches,
dizziness, fatigue and nausea.
Some ways to distinguish CO
poisoning from the flu:
- You feel better when you are away from home.
- Everyone in the home is sick at the same time.
- Family members most affected spend the most time at home.
- You don’t have a fever or body aches that come with the
flu.
Install and maintain CO alarms in your home
Minnesota law requires that every home have at least one
operational CO alarm within 10 feet of every room used for sleeping. All CO
alarms should conform to the latest Underwriters Laboratory (UL) standards.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for installation of your CO alarms and note
suggested replacement dates.
For more information on CO
poisoning, visit the Minnesota Department of Health website, the Minnesota
Commerce Department’s Home
Energy Guide (page 28) or the Carbon Monoxide Safety Association at www.cosafety.org.
* * * * * *
Minnesota Energy Tips is
provided twice a month by the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Division of
Energy Resources. Contact the Department’s Energy Information Center at energy.info@state.mn.us or 800-657-3710 with your energy questions.
| 
