Each year over 20,000 people visit the hospital as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning. This colorless, odorless gas is called the silent killer because it’s virtually undetectable without a carbon monoxide detector.
Carbon monoxide, as confirmed by the CDC, is put off by gas ranges, furnaces, fireplaces, stoves, and boilers so it only makes sense that carbon monoxide poisoning increases during the heating months when people are trying to warm their homes. To help keep you safe, Bryant Heating & Cooling Service Experts is here with a couple tips to safety warm your home.
- Put in a CO detector on each floor of your home and change the batteries yearly.
- Keep all possible sources of combustion, such as bedding, paper, or clothing, a distance over three feet away from space heaters, stoves, furnaces or fireplaces.
- Before starting a fire in the fireplace, be sure to check to verify the chimney damper is open and unclogged.
- Don’t leave portable heaters or fireplaces neglected. Power off space heaters and confirm all embers in the fireplace are fully extinguished before going to bed or leaving home.
- Space heaters should always be placed on the floor, and on a hard, nonflammable surface, like ceramic tile. Keep young ones and animals away from space heaters.
- When investing in a new space heater, buy a model that shuts off automatically if the heater tips over.
- Don’t use a cooking range to increase the temperature in your home.
- Have all stoves, fireplaces, chimneys, and all types of furnaces professionally examined and cleaned annually.
The ultimate thing you can do for your furnace is to make sure it’s not only up to the task of keeping you warm all winter but also safe, is to call for your fall tune-up. During your heating tune-up, Bryant will check to be sure your furnace is operating safely with a full multi-point inspection and cleaning. Call 226-773-3357 today and learn how you can save on a furnace tune-up through November 25th.