Tip of the Month

Purchase and Install Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Ensuring your home and garage are equipped with a carbon monoxide detector can protect your health and potentially save your life.

Carbon Monoxide (CO) fumes can enter our homes through our burning of fuels, such as oil, gas or wood for heating and cooking needs. And, since CO gas is colourless, and odourless, it can easily go undetected. Breathing higher levels of CO causes flu-like symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, and weakness in healthy people. It also causes sleepiness, nausea, vomiting, confusion, and disorientation. At very high levels, it causes loss of consciousness and death.

The detector you choose should meet Underwriters Laboratories standards, have a long-term warranty; and be easily tested and reset to ensure it's functioning properly. The organization also suggests that:

• gas appliances such as waer heaters, stoves and fireplaces, whether wood or gas, should be maintained and inspected regualrly.
• chimneys and flues need to be checked for corrosion or blockage.
• gas engines and barbecues should never be operated indoors.
  

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