Eradicating a silent killer
by Heather
A few months ago, I heard a great story on National Public Radio's This American Life about an old timey home and its supposed haunting. It was the Halloween episode, so the stories of hallucinations, dizziness and repeated instances of being grabbed by an unseen hand fit right in with the spirit of the day.
But there was a twist.
The house was not actually haunted. It was in disrepair, and the oil lamps and ancient heater were leaking carbon monoxide (CO). The CO poisoning was in turn causing neurological damage and making the family hallucinate. Yikes!
UL notes the following:
Because you cannot see it, smell it or taste it, you or your loved ones could be exposed to CO without even knowing it. The symptoms – headaches, fatigue, nausea, dizziness and shortness of breath – are often mistaken for the flu.
To keep your home safe from this nasty stuff, the first step is getting a CO alarm. Look for and purchase a UL certified CO alarm immediately. Some smoke alarms have this feature built in, but not all, so don't rely on a smoke alarm to protect you from CO.
Here are a few more basic tips to keep everyone safe:
- Never use charcoal grills inside a home, tent, camper or unventilated garage.
- Test your CO alarm monthly and make sure your CO alarm batteries are fresh every year.
- Know where to place your CO alarm. Outside each sleeping area and on each level of your home, including the basement, are the optimum locations. Make sure to avoid areas where an alarm would be exposed to household chemicals … they can damage the sensor in the alarm.
- When the alarm sounds, open all the windows and get outside for some fresh air. Then call for help.
- Gas burning appliances need routine maintenance to check for leaks and proper operation.
Related links:
More ways to prevent CO poisoning
This American Life: And the call was coming from the basement
Photo by ranhar2. Some rights reserved. Usage does not constitute photographer’s endorsement.
