Odourless, Tasteless and Invisible Danger at Home

They call carbon monoxide (CO) the silent killer. The gas is invisible, odourless and tasteless, so it can invade your home without anybody noticing. According to Statistics Canada, an average of 50 deaths in Canada every year can be attributed to CO poisoning.

We want to keep our customers and their families safe from the danger of CO, so we do it in two ways.

  1. Our high quality, low maintenance CO detecting products.
  2. Our partnership with the Hawkins-Gignac Foundation.

Awareness and compliance with the latest information information is the key to prevention. Even though CO Awareness Week is long past, we want to keep the word circulating. Carbon monoxide doesn’t take a break, and neither should we.

Learn the Sources of CO

Sources of carbon monoxideCO is invisible and can quickly, silently become widespread within our homes. It’s a by-product of incomplete fuel combustion from natural gas, propane, heating oil, kerosene, charcoal and a few other sources. Appliances that can produce unsafe levels of CO include:

  • Furnaces
  • Space heaters
  • Car engines
  • Portable generators
  • Wood stoves
  • Kitchen stoves or grills

When there is insufficient air for the gas to burn completely, buildup begins. Poor ventilation, installation and maintenance of these appliances can lead to unsafe levels of CO exposure.

Reach out to member of our team to ensure fuel burning appliances are well ventilated before turning on the heat each fall.

The Signs and Symptoms of CO Poisoning

Symptoms of CO poisoning are similar to the flu. The major difference between the two conditions is the absence of a fever. If you experience symptoms including:

  • Headaches
  • Fatigue
  • Nausea
  • Loss of consciousness

…you may be exposed to unsafe levels of CO. High concentrations of exposure can lead to brain damage and death. Get out of the house and follow up with your doctor if you experience this combination of symptoms.

Install CO Alarms Today

Carbon Monoxide AlarmAs of April 15, 2015, it is mandatory for all homeowners and landlords with an occupancy of 6 residents or less to install a CO alarm. A well overdue update to the law, we think.

Install an alarm on each level of your home near all sleeping areas. Your family (or tenants) are more likely to hear the alarm right outside the door in the middle of the night than the alarm downstairs in the family room.

CO alarms don’t sound like smoke alarms. Test both alarms on a monthly basis so everybody knows the difference.

Be Proactive

It’s great to have CO alarms installed in your home, but also important to make sure you proactively maintain a safe living environment for your family. Regular testing and replacement of your CO alarm is a good habit to keep your family safe from high CO exposure. CO alarms need to be replaced every 7-10 years.

If you have any questions about CO or you’d like to learn more about installing new alarms, we’re always happy to talk.

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