Carbon monoxide poisoning is one of the most common--and deadly--forms of air poisoning. Installing a carbon monoxide detector in your home is a great preventative measure, yet there's no reason to stop there. If you would like to learn more about keeping your family safe, read on. This article will provide two tips to reduce the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning.
When the combustion of wood in a fireplace is incomplete, it can produce carbon monoxide. Incomplete combustion takes place when there is not enough a sufficient amount of oxygen present. This could be the result of improper venting or even obstructions within the chimney itself. This can be a problem even if you do not notice excessive amounts of smoke inside your home.
For those reasons, it is important to have your chimney inspected periodically. This is especially true if your chimney has gone unused for a longer period of time--for instance, over the summer. Likewise, you should also have your chimney professionally cleaned. That's because when creosote builds up to a great enough degree on the inside of the chimney, it may also lead to the production of carbon monoxide.
Position your carbon monoxide detector wisely.
Hopefully you're already aware of the importance of having a carbon monoxide detector in your home. For those who aren't, it's important to know that carbon monoxide cannot be seen or smelled. Thus, it is vital that your home is equipped with some means of detecting the presence of this deadly gas.
But simply having a carbon monoxide detector isn't enough--it has to be installed in the right place. Many people make the mistake of putting it down in the basement. They figure that since that's where the furnace is, it's also the best place to catch carbon monoxide leaks. However, many appliances that burn fuel naturally give off a small amount of carbon monoxide when they start up.
This can cause the detector to go off unnecessarily--making you less willing to take it seriously over the long run. It's a much better idea to install multiple carbon monoxide detectors, with at least one on each of the inhabited levels of your home. Make sure that they are close enough to your bedroom that the sound would be enough to wake you up. Most detectors come with a test button that will allow you to gauge the volume produced. To find out more, contact a business like Quality HomEnergy.
