Carbon Monoxide Poisoning is very real, very dangerous, and is something that should not be taken lightly.
What happens when you develop Carbon Monoxide Poisoning? It’s not pretty. When there is too much carbon monoxide in the air and you breathe it in, that poisonous gas is taking the place of healthy oxygen within your red blood cells. When this happens, oxygen is not able to reach your body’s tissues and organs in order to function properly and effectively. The effect can be devastating and can even lead to death.
Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning include: dull headache, weakness, dizziness, nausea or vomiting, shortness of breath, confusion, blurred vision, and loss of consciousness. Even worse is, because carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas, people who may be asleep or intoxicated may suffer irreversible brain damage before even realizing there is a problem. That’s why it is so important to have your carbon monoxide detector routinely checked to make sure they are functioning properly.
Carbon Monoxide gas is especially dangerous when it is able to be released in enclosed spaces and areas. For instance, one should never use a charcoal grill indoors because carbon monoxide from the fumes has the ability to build to dangerous levels. Additionally, smoke inhalation during a house fire can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.
Those At Highest Risk for Carbon Monoxide Poisoning:
- Unborn Babies: Because fetal blood cells take up more readily than those of an adult, unborn babies are at higher risk for being harmed from exposure to carbon monoxide.
- Children: Because the lungs of young children may not be as strong as an adult’s, they may be more likely to take more breaths. This could make them more susceptible to carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Older adults: Older adults may be more likely to experience irreversible brain damage from carbon monoxide poisoning.
- People With Chronic Heart Disease: Those who suffer from anemia and/or have difficult breathing are especially at risk.
- Those Who Become Unconscious Due to Exposure to Carbon Monoxide: If someone loses consciousness, this could indicate a more severe exposure to carbon monoxide. Call 911 immediately.
Potentially Devastating Effects of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
- Permanent Brain Damage
- Damage to your heart, potentially leading to life-threatening cardiac complications
- Fetal death or miscarriage
- Death
Ways to Combat And/Or Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Because carbon monoxide gas is both odorless and colorless, it is virtually undetectable to humans. Therefore, preventative measure are really the only way to protect yourself and your family. Here’s what you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones:
Install carbon monoxide detectors: Wherever members of your family sleep, a carbon monoxide detector should be placed in or near every room of your house. Regular battery checks are essential to ensure everyone’s overall safety. Conduct these checks at least twice a year. If the alarm does go off, do not take the time to try to discover where the leak is coming from. Instead, remove yourself and your loved ones from the house and move to a safe area immediately. Once you are safe, call 911 or your local fire department for assistance.
Open your garage before starting your car. This really should go without saying. We’ve all see what happened to the character Peter Russo in the show “House of Cards”, right? Now, although that was a fictional show, it correctly and effectively demonstrated the devastating effects of carbon monoxide gas on the human body. Carbon Monoxide gas thrives in small, enclosed areas. It is important to remember that.
Use gas appliances as recommended.
Keep your fuel-burning appliances and engines properly vented.
Space heaters
Furnaces
Charcoal grills
Cooking ranges
Water heaters
Fireplaces
Portable generators
Wood-burning stoves
Car and truck engines
It is of paramount importance that, if you have a gas fireplace, that you keep it in good, healthy condition. This means having to properly inspected for gas leaks every year. Conduct yearly cleaning sessions for your chimney and flue.
Keep your vents and chimneys unblocked during any remodeling. Remove any tarps or debris to ensure airways are clean and clear.
If an incident has occurred in a given area, do not return to that specific area until a thorough investigation of, and/or repairs to, the area is conducted. Your local fire department or utility company can could be of assistance with this. You can also call your own inspector.
Be extremely cautious when working with solvents in an enclosed area. Methylene chloride, which is a solvent commonly found in certain paints and varnish removers, can break down into carbon monoxide when it is inhaled. Exposure to this may cause carbon monoxide poisoning.