Carbon Monoxide Is Odorless, Colorless & Deadly
Carbon monoxide is one of the most dangerous gasses that people are exposed to…right in their own homes! Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless, and tasteless gas produced as a by-product of your home heating system. When not properly directed outside your home via your venting system and chimney, the gas causes often misinterpreted aliments and can even result in fatalities. That’s why it is so important to have a yearly chimney professional inspect, clean, and make any necessary repairs to your chimney, it’s lining, venting, and masonry. Beach Stove and Fireplace is here to provide those services for you.
Sign/Symptoms/Warnings of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Many people may not attribute or recognize that the headaches, nausea, dizziness, tiredness, weakness, irritability, and trouble seeing clearly may be caused by toxic fumes leaking into their houses rather than being properly vented outside. And of course, as the concentration of carbon monoxide increases, so does the severity of its effects. According to the Center for Disease Control, over 20,000 people have to go to the emergency room due to the effects of carbon monoxide; 4000 people are poisoned so severely that they need hospitalization; and sadly, over 400 people die each year from toxic gas poisoning.
Causes of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
The most common and frightening reason for carbon monoxide poisoning is accidental exposure. Leaking and malfunctioning fuel burning appliances including furnaces, fireplaces, stoves, water heaters, gas and kerosene room heater all contribute to releasing the toxic fumes into your home and most of the time you don’t even realize it.
Today’s homes are built more airtight than ever in order to be more energy efficient. But, when heating systems are not properly vented outside, there is not enough fresh air in your home to dissipate the toxic gas and you, your family, and pets continue to breathe contaminated air. Those same poorly sealed window, doors, roofs, and attic that once drove up your utility costs also compensated by allowing the toxic fumes to escape.
The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) explains it further, “Manufacturers have designed new, high-technology heating appliances whose greater efficiency helps us save money, conserve natural resources and decrease environmental pollution. However, the new breed of high-efficiency gas and oil furnaces – when vented in to existing chimney flues – often do not perform at an optimum level. The differences in performance create conditions that allow toxic gases to more easily enter home living spaces.”
Preventing Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
According to CSIA, “When gas and oil burn in vented heating systems – in order to produce household heat – the dangerous fumes that are by-products of combustion range from soot to nitrogen dioxide to acidic water vapors. None of these pollutants should be allowed to leak from the chimney into your living space.
In addition to carrying off toxic gases, chimneys also create the draft (flow of air) that provides the proper air and fuel mixture for efficient operation of the heating appliance. Unfortunately, many chimneys in daily use in homes throughout the country either are improperly sized or have conditions that make them unable to perform their intended function.”
Every homeowner should review the guidelines provided by the Chimney Safety Institute of America to learn more about preventing carbon monoxide poisoning.
Yearly Inspections & Cleanings
CSIA, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, National Fire Protection Association, the EPA, and the American Lung Association are just a few of the many organizations that encourage homeowners to have a yearly cleaning and inspection of your chimney, flue, fireplace, and household venting (including your clothes dryer venting) by a trained and CSIA certified technician/chimney sweep.
The consequences of toxic fume poisoning, and fire risks justify the related cost of prevention.