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Health & Fitness

An Invisible Danger in Your Home

MXenergy offers important safety information to protect yourself and loved ones from carbon monoxide poisoning.

You can’t see it, smell it or taste it, yet being able to detect its presence in your home can literally mean the difference between life and death. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a deadly, colorless, odorless, poisonous gas produced whenever gas, charcoal, wood or oil is burned.  High levels of the gas can kill you in minutes and each year hundreds of people die from accidental CO poisoning.

The invention of carbon monoxide detectors and alarms have certainly helped but are far from foolproof. Too often they lull us into a false sense of security. Plug in the CO alarm and forget it, right? Wrong. CO alarms have been known to have a wide variance in reliability, some failing to detect even dangerously high levels of carbon monoxide in consumer testing.

MXenergy wants to remind all homeowners that while a CO alarm is a great place to start, proper prevention and maintenance is the best thing you can do to protect your family.

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So what are the best CO safety tips?

  • First, have all your fuel burning appliances serviced by a licensed, trained professional at the start of each heating season. 
  • Never idle your car in the garage — even for a short time with the door open.
  • Never use a gas oven or dryer to heat your home and never operate a portable generator or other gas-powered tool in an enclosed space. CO can build to lethal levels quickly even with open doors and windows.
  • Be sure you know the warning signs and symptoms of CO poisoning.
  • Low levels of exposure can trigger shortness of breath, mild headaches, dizziness, fatigue and nausea.
  • If your entire family seems to be experiencing these symptoms or they miraculously clear up once you leave the house, this is a definite red flag.
  • High levels of exposure can cause vomiting, mental confusion, loss of coordination, loss of consciousness and, ultimately, death.
  • If you do suspect that you have been exposed, immediately take action.
  • Leave your home immediately and call 911. Do not re-enter your house until it has been inspected and cleared by emergency personnel.
  • Go the emergency room and tell them you suspect CO poisoning. A blood test shortly after exposure can confirm the problem.
  • And if a CO leak is confirmed, don't go back home until you have been given the "all clear" by a certified repairman.

Combining these critical safety tips with a working CO alarm (with battery back-up) outside each set of bedrooms can go a long way towards protecting you and your loved ones from this silent, invisible killer.

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