Carbon Monoxide is a colorless and odorless gas that is produced when fossil fuels are burned. When the gas builds up in an enclosed space, it displaces the oxygen in the air. This is when carbon monoxide becomes deadly. Carbon monoxide builds up in your bloodstream instead of life-giving oxygen. This dangerous health issue is called carbon monoxide poisoning or oxygen deprivation. In essence, you are suffocating because the air you breathe does not have enough oxygen to keep your body alive. Anyone exposed to carbon monoxide must be moved to fresh air and get professional medical care immediately.
Carbon Monoxide In Your Home
Your heating equipment and possibly water heater, stove, and oven could all produce carbon monoxide if they burn a fossil fuel like natural gas or propane. However, when these pieces of equipment are designed and built, safety ventilation devices and mechanisms are in place to keep you and your loved ones safe. So when operated properly and regularly inspected by a certified professional, there is little risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
However, it is always important to have carbon monoxide sensors or detectors in your home. These devices function like a smoke detector and protect you and your loved ones from a life-threatening accident. They are a very affordable way to protect your loved ones from this scary hazard. In addition, it is critical that you know the signs and symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning in case a detector is malfunctioning or is slow to alert you of a leak.
The common signs of carbon monoxide poisoning include:
- Shortness of breath
- Difficulty breathing
- Eye, nose, and throat irritation
- Confusion
- A headache
- Weakness
- Confusion
- Dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Excessive tiredness
- Nausea or vomiting
- Loss of consciousness
It is also essential to know that carbon monoxide will affect your domestic pets and can cause:
- Confusion
- Lethargy
- Trouble breathing
- Dizziness
- Irritability
- Loss of consciousness
When you see any of these signs of carbon monoxide poisoning in your loved ones or pets:
- Evacuate all humans and pets immediately a safe distance from the house
- Leave the door open when you exit to allow the carbon monoxide to escape, as it is a fire hazard
- Call 911 immediately for medical help and to report a carbon monoxide leak
- Never return to the house until it is deemed safe by professionals
- If you can turn off the gas supply to the house from outside, do so to eliminate the continued carbon monoxide leak
- Call 952-208-4570 to request emergency service from the experts at Blue Ox Heating And Air to locate and repair the leak in your HVAC equipment
Prolonged exposure to carbon monoxide can permanently damage the brain, heart, and other organs. It can also lead to multiple life-long health complications for children and the elderly. To learn more about preventing tragic issues related to carbon monoxide, call 952-208-4570 to speak to the experts at Blue Ox Heating & Air and schedule an inspection of your HVAC system and its crucial ventilation piping.
