Annually, over 20,000 people go to the ER because of carbon monoxide poisoning. The odorless, colorless gas is called the silent killer because it’s essentially undetectable without a carbon monoxide detector.
Carbon monoxide, according to the CDC, is put off by fireplaces, boilers, furnaces, stoves, and gas ranges so it only makes sense that carbon monoxide poisoning increases during the winter months when people are trying to keep their homes heated. To help keep your home safe, Parker Pearce Service Experts is here with a few tips to safety warm your home.
- Place a CO detector on every floor of your home and swap out the batteries annually.
- Keep all likely sources of combustion, such as clothing, rugs, or bedding, a minimum of three feet away from fireplaces, furnaces, stoves, or space heaters.
- Before starting a fire in the fireplace, always check to verify the chimney damper is open and unblocked.
- Don’t leave portable heaters or fireplaces unwatched. Shut off space heaters and be sure all embers in the fireplace are totally extinguished before leaving the area.
- Space heaters should always be placed on the floor, and on a hard, fire-resistant surface, like ceramic tile. Keep children and animals away from space heaters.
- When buying a new space heater, purchase a model that turns off automatically if the heater falls over.
- Do not use a cooking range to heat 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 be sure it’s not only all set to keep you warm all winter but also safe, is to schedule your fall tune-up. During your fall tune-up, Parker Pearce will check to make sure your heating system is operating safely with a total multi-point inspection and cleaning. Call 301-476-4577 today and learn how you can save on a furnace tune-up through November 25th.