This Is How You Test For Carbon Monoxide

The average home here in Denver uses a variety of different gases to help it function throughout the day. It uses natural gas to heat your home. It may use propane gas for an outdoor grill.

Yet there is one gas you never want in abundance inside your home: carbon monoxide.

Carbon monoxide is hazardous because you can’t see it, smell it, or taste it. If it settles into your living space, it can have dangerous effects on your health in a short amount of time.

Carbon monoxide can be released by any fuel-releasing appliance. It can come from a variety of places around your home, and creep into your residence without you knowing it’s there. It can come from a broken furnace, a leaking natural gas fireplace. It can be introduced from a running car in your garage, or from a grill placed too close to your home.

And depending on how much settles into the air supply, it can become lethal in just a few minutes.

The other problem is you might not recognize the symptoms right away. It’s often misdiagnosed as the flu, a viral infection, or chronic fatigue syndrome, among other things.

How do you keep yourself safe from potential threat? Test for carbon monoxide regularly.

If you have even just one fuel-burning appliance, it’s important to install a carbon monoxide alarm. Place a sensor on each level of your home, including the basement and garage. Make sure there’s a unit outside of each bedroom.

Once installed, replace batteries regularly. You can make it a part of your spring cleaning, in much the same manner as replacing them in your smoke detectors. Also, check the system regularly – once a quarter – to ensure it’s working and produces a high pitched noise. Replace the system altogether every three to five years to ensure you have the best technology.

If you are alerted to a problem, get out of your house and call 911. Never try and figure out the problem yourself. It’s best to let the authorities deal with it, and enter only after you’re assured everything is okay.

Want to be sure your natural gas appliances are working correctly? Want to verify your carbon monoxide detectors are working the way they should? Give us a call today.