Carbon Monoxide in Your Home. What is Carbon Monoxide? CO Deadly gas Cant see, taste, feel or smell.

Carbon Monoxide in Your Home

What is Carbon Monoxide? CO

Deadly gas

Can’t see, taste, feel or smell

What’s the problem with CO?

Kills 5,000 people in US each year

Survivors of CO poisoning can suffer from brain damage, loss of sight or hearing, or heart problems

Where Does CO Come From?

Gas & oil furnaces, boilers, water heaters

Wood burning fireplaces and stoves

Gas appliances (ovens, stoves, dryers)

Gas and kerosene space heaters

Gas and charcoal grills

Where Does CO Come From?

Cars, trucks, campers, and other vehicles

Gas and liquid propane fueled equipment

Tobacco smoke, house fires Blocked chimneys and flues

What are the signs of CO poisoning?

Headache Nausea Vomiting Dizziness Confusion Tiredness

Weakness Sleepiness Tightness in

chest Trouble

breathing All of these

are flu- like symptoms

How Can I Protect My Family?

Never use Charcoal grills or run engines inside home, garage, or basement

Never warm up vehicle in garage

Have furnace, chimney and gas appliances checked

How Can I Protect My Family?

Keep chimney and wood burning stove in good working order

Use kerosene , gas heaters and vent-free fireplaces carefully -- follow instructions and open window

How Can I Protect My Family?

Use carbon monoxide alarms in

Never use kitchen stove or oven for heat

How Can I Protect My Family?

Use kitchen exhaust fan when using oven

Make certain gas appliances burn correctly

Don’t use a smoking fireplace

Carbon Monoxide Alarms

At least one for every household

Sounds an alarm when CO becomes too high

Battery operated

If CO Alarm Sounds:

Get outside right away Call 911 from phone outside your

home Have home checked by qualified

heating/appliance technician Don’t go back into the home until

all problems are fixed

Visit the Healthy Homes Partnership

site:

www.HealthyHomesPartnership.net

For more information on healthy home environments

Special thanks to North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension for the original creation

of these slides:Dr. M. Cassandra Wiggins

Dr. Sarah D. KirbyDr. Wilma S. Hammett