Annually, over 20,000 people end up in the hospital due to carbon monoxide poisoning. This odorless and colorless gas is called the silent killer because it’s practically undetectable without a carbon monoxide detector.
Carbon monoxide, according to the CDC, is given off by fireplaces, boilers, furnaces, stoves, and gas ranges so it only makes sense that carbon monoxide poisoning climbs during the heating months when people are trying to warm their homes. To help keep you safe, Strogen's Service Experts is here with a few tips to safety keep your home heated.
- Put in a CO detector on every floor of your home and change the batteries annually.
- Keep all likely sources of combustion, such as bedding, paper, or clothing, a distance over three feet away from fireplaces, furnaces, stoves, or space heaters.
- Before igniting a fire in the fireplace, be sure to check to verify the chimney damper is open and unblocked.
- Do not leave portable heaters or fireplaces alone. Turn off space heaters and confirm all embers in the fireplace are totally extinguished before going to bed or leaving home.
- Space heaters should always be positioned on the floor, and on a hard, fire-resistant surface, like ceramic tile. Keep children and animals away from space heaters.
- When purchasing a new space heater, invest in a model that shuts off automatically if the heater falls over.
- Do not use a stove to heat your home.
- Have all stoves, fireplaces, chimneys, and all types of furnaces professionally inspected and cleaned yearly.
The ultimate thing you can do for your heating equipment is to ensure it’s not only all set to keep you warm all winter but also safe, is to set-up your fall tune-up. During your fall tune-up, Strogen's will check to be sure your heating system is operating safely with a full multi-point inspection and cleaning. Call 603-923-4570 today and find out how you can save on a heating tune-up through November 25th.