NEW YORK (Reuters) -- Winter is coming. And, with it comes the rumbling of the oil burner and nights by the fire. But how safe is your furnace and fireplace? Could it put you at risk for carbon monoxide poisoning? Carbon monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning death in America, according Bob Wheatley, carbon monoxide safety expert with First Alert, a manufacturer of carbon monoxide detectors.
Carbon monoxide poisoning can be hard to diagnose, as the symptoms closely mimic the flu. "Some people have periodic episodes of muscle aches and headaches, shortness of breath and dizziness which they ascribe to the flu, but which may clear in several hours and then reappear later that week. That should lead people in emergency rooms to suspect carbon monoxide poisoning," said Dr. Thomas Godar, spokesperson for the American Lung Association and director of the Occupational Lung Disease Service at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford, Connecticut.
Carbon monoxide poisons the body by combining with hemoglobin in the blood. It is then carried to all parts of the body, starving tissues of oxygen and causing symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, cherry-red skin, and loss of consciousness. Prolonged exposure can result in death. Especially at-risk for carbon monoxide poisoning are infants, the elderly, and people with anemia, heart, or lung disease.
Appliances that burn fuel and are not properly vented or maintained can emit dangerous levels of carbon monoxide. Sources to check are: gas appliances, fireplaces, charcoal grills, and space heaters. Even cigarette smoke in an enclosed environment can be hazardous, say the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, the EPA offers the following list of Do's and Don'ts:
-- Do have fuel burning appliances -- such as furnaces, ovens, water heaters, grills -- checked on a regular basis.
-- Do chose appliances with outside vents if possible.
-- Do follow the directions accompanying all fuel-burning devices.
-- Do get fresh air immediately if you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning and see a healthcare professional urgently.
-- Don't run your car in a closed garage.
-- Don't use an oven to heat your home.
-- Don't use charcoal grills indoors.
-- Don't sleep in a room with unvented space heaters.
-- Don't ignore symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Carbon monoxide detectors -- similar to the widely accepted smoke detector -- are available commercially. They will alert you to high levels of carbon monoxide in your home, and can be purchased at most hardware stores for between $40 to $90.
Godar suggests that homes have two carbon monoxide detectors, one in the sleeping area and one nearer to the furnace or oil burner -- the source of most reported leaks.
And, if the alarm on your detector should go off "get out of the house, but don't open it," said Godar. That way, when emergency personnel arrive, the carbon monoxide is trapped and the source of the leak can be detected.
According to the American Lung Association, "at least 250 people die every year from carbon monoxide poisoning, and thousands of others become ill or seek medical attention."
For more information on carbon monoxide call the EPA's IAQINFO Clearinghouse (800) 438-4318 or the Consumer Product Safety Commission (800) 638-2772.
