According to a 2012 report by the National Fire Protection Association, fire departments answer to an average of 72,000 carbon monoxide incidents each year. Carbon Monoxide, or CO2, is a colorless, odorless gas by-product of burnt fuel. It’s most often connected to wood stoves, car engines and other fire combustion sources along with gas or oil furnaces.
Why is CO2 awareness so important?
Not to be overly dramatic, but understanding the causes and ways to prevent excessive CO2 exposure is a matter of life and death. CO2 is among the leading ways of accidental poisoning deaths in the US*, and conditions of CO2 poisoning have been known to be misdiagnosed as the flu, viral infections and chronic fatigue, among many others. This makes CO2 poisoning an often hidden enemy that can be fatal over several years, or within just a few short hours. Acute poisoning takes place from breathing large concentrations of CO2, but poisoning can also occur over many months or years. Some symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, flu-like symptoms, dizziness and fatigue.
Steps you can take to reduce the CO2 risk in your London home?
- If you don’t have a CO2 detector in your home, get one right away. You can phone Roy Inch & Sons Home Services by Enercare to purchase one today.
- If you do have a CO detector that is battery-powered, check or replace the batteries regularly; at least every 90 days. It's also recommended to replace the detector every 3-5 years.
- If you experience or have experienced some of the symptoms cited above, ask your doctor to test for carbon monoxide poisoning, and get a second opinion if necessary.
*emedicinehealth.com. Prevention information for Carbon Monoxide poisoning may be inaccurate or incomplete; none of these methods guarantee prevention of Carbon Monoxide poisoning.