There is nothing more frustrating to me than seeing needless deaths,
particularly in America. I thought I saw my share chasing down WMD's
that were never found in the Middle East. Does it sound that outrageous
to put Carbon Monoxide in the same class as these? Think about it: a
Colorless, Odorless Gas that poisons it's targets by being inhaled. The
only thing a ruthless Dictator is missing is a way to weaponize this.
Based on Consumer Reports, between 1999 and 2004, an average of 439
Americans perished each year. In 2011, Massachusetts saw Fire
Departments responded to 18,000 CO incidents, with over 5,500 confirmed homes contaminated with CO. With the rising numbers of reports each
year, it is apparent that people are becoming more aware of the deadly
gas. Yet we continue to see reports of CO Poisoning, so what can we do
as a society to combat this?
Enter the HVAC and Home Performance Companies! You are likely most
prepared and equipped to combat this silent evil. You need to
communicate with and educate your customers to keep them safe. Also,
companies need to equip their personnel with the necessary safety
devices. I happen to work for a company that puts safety at the
forefront and supplies field personnel with personal CO monitors. I
understand the cost to equip everyone, but think about the alternative!
Already this year I have been into a home that did not have heat, the
homeowner was operating the gas stove all night and my monitor
immediately hit 15 ppm CO. On the way home that day the local pizza
place did not have their make-up air unit on, noticeable by the
resistance in the door, and the meter read 10 ppm. Although these
numbers are far from immediate poisoning, over a long period of time the
homeowner and cooks will eventually be poisoned.
When it comes to testing the appliances, please do not put on blinders
and only peer at the furnace when you walk into a home. What about
that water heater sitting next to it, or the gas dryer, and even stoves.
I would not be able to go to sleep at night if I did not at least
recommend to a homeowner to have these appliances tested annually for
safety. Take a look at the BPI recommendations for allowed CO in the
flue. If the numbers are too high, you have incomplete combustion and
need to have the appliance repaired.
This weekend, when you set your clocks back for daylight savings time,
everyone has been taught from an early age to replace the batteries in
their smoke detectors. Why not add a CO monitor to that very short list?
Test your monitor and replace the batteries if applicable (some are
hard-wired only). If your monitors are over 5 years old, consider
replacement. Please do not scoff at the prices and cheap-out on a very
important safety device. Make sure you look for a UL label and go with
quality!
If you have any combustion appliances, you are required in most states
to have a CO detector. This means if you do not have one, make it a
point to purchase one this weekend. Just because you do not have a gas
furnace or water heater does not mean you should not have a CO Monitor
installed! Just recently a family of four died of CO due to a generator
operating in their garage, since the electricity in their new home was
not turned on by the electric company yet. New Hampshire has figured
this out, making November "Carbon Monoxide Awareness Month". Take a
look at their recommendations, and pass it on. Please do not let this
happen to anyone you know, educate and test!
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