Each year over 20,000 people end up in the ER as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning. This odorless and colorless gas is referred to as the silent killer because it’s virtually undetectable without a carbon monoxide detector.
Carbon monoxide, as specified by the CDC, is put off by stoves, gas ranges, boilers, furnaces, and fireplaces so it only makes sense that carbon monoxide poisoning climbs during the winter months when people are trying to warm their homes. To help keep you safe, San Antonio Air Service Experts is here with a few tips to safety warm your home.
- Place a CO detector on all floors of your home and replace the batteries annually.
- Keep all possible sources of combustion, such as bedding, paper, or clothing, a minimum of three feet away from furnaces, space heaters, fire places, or stoves.
- Before lighting a fire in the fireplace, be sure to check to confirm the chimney damper is open and unclogged.
- Never leave portable heaters or fireplaces neglected. Power off space heaters and be sure all embers in the fireplace are completely extinguished before leaving the area.
- Space heaters should always be placed on the floor, and on a hard, incombustible surface, like porcelain tile. Keep children and pets away from space heaters.
- When purchasing a new space heater, invest in a model that shuts off automatically if the heater tips over.
- Don’t use a oven to increase the temperature in your home.
- Have fireplaces, chimneys, gas or oil furnaces, and coal and wood stoves professionally inspected and cleaned yearly.
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 call for your furnace tune-up. During your fall tune-up, San Antonio Air will check to ensure your furnace is operating safely with a total multi-point inspection and cleaning. Call 210-570-9705 today and find out how you can save on a heating tune-up through November 25th.