Carbon Monoxide Safety Tips from the Moreno Valley Fire Department

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless and toxic gas. Because it is impossible to see, taste or smell the toxic fumes, CO can kill before you are aware it is in your home. Carbon Monoxide can come from several sources including gas-fired appliances, charcoal grills, wood-burning furnaces or fireplaces, and motor vehicles. At lower levels of exposure, CO causes mild effects that are often mistaken for the flu. These symptoms include headaches, dizziness, disorientation, nausea, and fatigue. The effects of CO exposure can vary greatly from person to person depending on age, overall health, and the concentration and length of exposure. You can protect yourself and your family by following a few easy steps: - Install at least one CO alarm with an audible warning signal evaluated by a nationally recognized laboratory, near sleeping areas and outside individual bedrooms. CO alarms measure levels of the gas over time and are designed to sound an alarm before an average, healthy adult would experience symptoms. - Have your heating system, water heater, and any other gas, oil or coal burning appliances serviced by a qualified technician every year. - Don’t use your range or oven to help heat your home and never use a charcoal grill or hibachi in your home or garage. - Never keep a car running in a garage. Even if the garage door is open, normal circulation will not provide enough fresh air to reliably prevent a dangerous buildup of CO.