Never leave your car or mower running in a closed garage.Do not operate gasoline-powered engines in confined areas such as garages or basements.Do not burn charcoal, kerosene lanterns or portable camp stoves inside a home, cabin, recreational vehicle or camper.Do not use ovens and gas ranges to heat your home.Use appliances and stoves appropriately.Make sure your furnace has an adequate intake of outside air.Have the heating system, chimney and flue inspected and cleaned by a qualified technician every year.Never use unvented appliances - make sure all appliances are fully vented to the outdoors.Make sure appliances are installed and working according to manufacturers' instructions and local building codes.Make sure all appliances work and are fully vented.How can you protect yourself from carbon monoxide?Īfter an emergency or power outage, be sure to remember these steps so you don't risk your family's health. Carbon monoxide can also react with other gases to form ozone pollution. In addition, outdoor air can have too much CO, especially near roads where tailpipe emissions can build up. CO poisoning is estimated to cause more than 50,000 emergency room visits in the United States each year. Thousands more become ill and seek medical attention. At very high levels, CO causes loss of consciousness and death.Īpproximately 430 people die each year from CO exposure. If symptoms persist, and especially if the symptoms get better after you leave the building, CO may be the cause.īreathing higher levels of CO causes flu-like symptoms such as headaches, dizziness and weakness in healthy people.īreathing high levels of CO also can cause:īreathing CO at low levels regularly may cause permanent mental or physical problems. Many of these symptoms are similar to the flu, food poisoning or other illnesses. When CO attaches to the hemoglobin, it blocks the oxygen the body must have, creating health problems. Hemoglobin normally carries oxygen throughout the body. Once inhaled, CO attaches to the hemoglobin in the red blood cells. What are the health effects of carbon monoxide? Gas-powered lawn mowers and power tools.Space heaters or oil or kerosene heaters.Gas appliances (furnaces, ranges, ovens, water heaters, clothes dryers, etc.).It can reach dangerous levels indoors or outdoors. Breathing CO reduces the blood's ability to carry oxygen. Carbon monoxide is produced when fuels such as gasoline, natural gas, oil, kerosene, wood or charcoal are burned. Using barbeques or camping stoves inside, and turning on vehicle or lawn mower engines in your garage, can also cause a build-up of carbon monoxide.Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless and tasteless but dangerous gas. Causes of carbon monoxide poisoningĬommon household appliances used for heating and cooking can produce carbon monoxide if they are not installed properly, are faulty, or are poorly maintained.Īppliances that can cause carbon monoxide include: They may get worse when you spend time in an affected room or building and get better when you leave or go outside. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include: Check if you have carbon monoxide poisoningĬarbon monoxide gas is colourless and does not smell, so you cannot tell if it is around you. Carbon monoxide can be made by fires and appliances that burn gas, wood, oil or coal. Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that can make you seriously ill if you breathe it in.
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