Tips for carbon monoxide safety in your home

As we enter the colder winter months, many of us are turning our heat on – and for many households that means using a furnace or boiler that burns fossil fuel like “natural” methane gas. This, and any other gas appliance in the house, like a water heater, stove, or clothes dryer, can be a source of carbon monoxide pollution in your home. 

And while most of us are familiar with the acute threats posed by carbon monoxide, less are familiar with the health threats posed by low-level carbon monoxide exposure.

Carbon monoxide poisonings spike during the colder months, with 64% of all poisonings occurring in the home.

Below is more information on carbon monoxide safety including tips for proactive steps you can take in your home. 

What is carbon monoxide?

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas that is deadly at high levels but can also cause long-term health issues at lower exposures. 

Fortunately, CO poisoning is preventable. Taking proactive steps can protect your family from this invisible danger.

What are common sources of carbon monoxide?

Appliances that burn fossil fuels, like methane gas, particularly furnaces, boilers, water heaters, dryers and stoves are all common sources. Other sources include portable generators and gasoline-powered vehicles in attached garages. 

Burning any fuel in the home will produce carbon monoxide, including wood, gasoline, coal, methane gas, propane, or kerosene.

What are the impacts of carbon monoxide poisoning?

• More than 100,000 emergency room visits and 14,000 hospitalizations occur annually due to CO poisoning, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Children, seniors, and pets are especially vulnerable.
• CO poisoning symptoms can vary widely and depend on the concentration and duration of exposure and the preexisting health status of each individual. 
  • Severe symptoms such as disorientation, unconsciousness, long-term neurological disabilities, coma, cardiorespiratory failure, and death.
  • Lower-level exposures are often underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed as symptoms are similar to the flu, such as fatigue, dizziness, headache, confusion, and nausea. 
• In the U.S. CO poisonings result in more than 2,800 hospitalizations annually, with medical costs reaching $33 million according to another study.
  • The estimated costs to society from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning, excluding fire-related incidents, are more than $1.3 billion a year. This includes direct hospitalization and lost wages. 

Tips to protect your family from carbon monoxide poisoning

Households can take proactive steps to protect themselves from carbon monoxide exposure. Simple precautions can significantly reduce the risk of harmful CO buildup.

• Every household should have a functioning CO detector installed near gas equipment that is tested regularly and replaced every 10 years or as recommended by the manufacturer. 
  • More than one-third of U.S. households do not have any method of CO detection. 
• Check gas-burning equipment during the inspection when buying a home, and have a professional check equipment every year. Always use ventilation when cooking with a gas stove. 
• Upgrading from gas equipment to electric equipment is a key strategy to eliminate CO exposures while also improving indoor air quality overall.
  • Federal incentives are available through the Inflation Reduction Act to help households upgrade to efficient electric equipment like heat pumps. 
  • For renters and those unable to upgrade household appliances at this time, try cooking with gas less frequently and cooking with electric appliances more, whether a toaster oven, electric kettle, slow cooker or a portable induction cooktop.
• Never leave a gas-powered car or equipment running in an attached garage.
• Do not use gas-powered generators inside or near an open window, as this will not provide sufficient ventilation.