WARNING! Carbon Monoxide Does Not Smell Like Death But It Is Deadly
This summer was hot one! I doubt any one in the US had the need to warm up the car in closed garage in the during the summer months.
Now with cooler weather coming on I want to encourage you to have a family safety talk with your family. Too much carbon monoxide breathed in replaced the oxygen with carbon monoxide and you don’ t even smell it – you may just want to sleep.
Reviewing the dangers of CARBON MONOXIDE; symptoms and potential causes could save your life and your family’s lives.
Avoid unloading groceries in a closed garage with motor running.
- When it gets cold outside people tend to forget safety measures when they want to warm up the car.
Please always think safety first!
- Some house plans are built so the kids’ room is right above the garage where CO (carbon-monoxide) can seep in to poison the air in the sleeping tots bedroom which we assume it is the safest room of the house for them when you car exhaust is getting in.
“OOPS! I forgot!”
…is not an excuse that will bring the children back to life. Consider posting a sign or 2 on the door to the garage to remind everyone parking in the garage to not warm up the car closed.
- We all assume our gas appliances work well- but don’t.
If not properly ventilated you will never taste, smell, see or hear carbon-monoxide building up. Well, unless you have LIVE batteries in your carbon-monoxide detector.
You do have a carbon monoxide detector with good batteries in it, right?
- Have you checked the batteries in your CO detector or smoke alarm lately? If now stop reading and check them NOW! If the darn thing keep beeping at you- you need to change the batteries.
- Do NOT rip that beeping detector off the ceiling! ( Yes, I know of neighbors who have done that. when I found out I gave them on of my batteries. Remember the battery life is limited. You may have a stock pile of batteries that are no good. You may as well share a new battery or two if you got ’em.)
- Let’s not forget about machines like lawn mowers while we are still cutting grass. Please don’t leave the lawn mower running in the garage. Yes, a lawn mower could be a source of carbon monoxide if there is no enough ventilation.
- When it snows please remember the snow-blower. Don’t let those fumes get trapped in the house or garage.
- Please don’t sleep with a gas heater that is not ventilated right. It can kill you pretty fast.
- Plastic on all windows to keep the cold out. Cool idea, right? NOT! That decrease some ventilation.
- Do you burn a ton of candles, kerosene lantern, a gas run generator, or grilling inside? (WHAT ARE YOU THINKING? Do NOT do it! Never burn a gas generator inside. A bunch of pretty candles burning may smell good but never leave unattended.Too much carbon monoxide and you will fall asleep , but never wake up.))
What is the electricity goes out?
Never fire up those things because the electricity went out.
They can sure as heck fire will you home up with carbon-monoxide poisoning. (If you don’t catch your home on fire first.)
Think safety first!
Quoting from: Illinois Poison Control Centerhttp://illinoispoisoncenter.org/carbonmonoxide (subscribe to their emails.)
“Early symptoms of CO poisoning — including headache, nausea, vomiting and dizziness — can mimic the flu or other illnesses. More significant poisoning symptoms also can include: A throbbing headache Drowsiness Confusion Heart irregularities. ” …end quote.
Be sure to share these timely life-saving facts with your loved ones.
Don’t put checking your home for potential carbon-monoxide problems .
Do it NOW!
Don’t tkae my word for here. Read other reliable sources then please share with family and friends waht you learned.
Carbon monoxide poisoning – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic
Copyright Malika Bourne this post has been edited from a post that was posted by this author on Bubblews January 21, 2014 under the same title.
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