It gets incredibly cold during the winter season in northeast Ohio, which means you’ll probably be cranking up that heat in order to stay comfortable in your home. Before you begin to rely heavily on your furnace, make sure that your carbon monoxide detectors are in working order.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a gas that is colorless, odorless and tasteless and produced as a byproduct of combustion by common household appliances such as gas water heaters, gas and wood stoves, fireplaces and furnaces.

The amount of carbon monoxide these appliances produce tends to be too small to be dangerous. However, if one of these appliances is not working properly, or if the ventilation of your home is poor, it can cause the level of CO to build to a dangerous level.

To prevent a disastrous situation in your home, install carbon monoxide detectors on every level of your home. They should be installed high on the walls or up on the ceiling. Make sure to install one outside of every bedroom. Because the gas is odorless and tasteless, it can be extremely dangerous when you’re asleep. If your CO detector goes off, make sure that everyone leaves the house immediately. CO poisoning can cause the following symptoms:

  • Fatigue
  • Dizziness
  • Headaches
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Confusion
  • Loss of consciousness

Heavy carbon monoxide poisoning can lead to death.

Battery-operated detectors need to have their batteries changed every couple of years. Detectors that are wired into the home current don’t need batteries except as a back-up. Digital battery-operated models will emit an audible signal when the batteries need to be changed. CO detectors have test buttons that you should use regularly to make sure they are operating correctly.

Make sure to test all of your home’s carbon monoxide detectors before winter comes. If you need additional CO detectors installed around your home, or if you want your HVAC system inspected to make sure none of your appliances are producing unhealthy amounts of carbon monoxide, contact the pros at Stack Heating & Cooling. We’ve been offering quality service to the northeast Ohio area since 1976.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Cleveland, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about CO detectors and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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