Lets first start by stating some important facts. The chimney in your home is one of the most overlooked yet important components when considering your families safety. In short, your chimney is responsible for taking all the dangerous items of combustion including but not limited to carbon monoxide poisoning.
Lets first start by stating some important facts. The chimney in your home is one of the most overlooked yet important components when considering your families safety. In short, your chimney is responsible for taking all the dangerous items of combustion including but not limited to carbon monoxide poisoning.
Carbon monoxide poisoning is extremely dangerous but not many people understand how it truly works. Being a colorless and odorless gas if the first concern, you are not even aware it is present. If it is, it starts to build up in your blood stream and you will start to experience symptoms like;
- General and overall ill feelings
- Dizziness
- Difficult Breathing
- Weakness
- Nausea
- Confusion
- Vomiting
- Weakness
- Headaches
- and many other symptoms people may just assume is a cold instead of this deadly gas!
As carbon monoxide builds in your blood stream your body will start removing oxygen to make space for this deadly gas. At this point you will feel tired and run down. The poison is doing its job, most people who lay down for a nap don’t wake up. to read more about the dangers of carbon monoxide poison click here!
Who should be concerned?
According to the CDC or Center for Disease Control; “Everyone is at risk for CO poisoning. Infants, the elderly, people with chronic heart disease, anemia, or breathing problems are more likely to get sick from CO. Each year, more than 400 Americans die from unintentional CO poisoning not linked to fires, more than 20,000 visit the emergency room, and more than 4,000 are hospitalized.” For safety purposes the CDC as well as the NFPA provide some excellent advice.
- Have your heating system, water heater, and any other gas, oil, or coal burning appliances serviced by a qualified technician every year.
- Make sure your gas appliances are vented properly. Horizontal vent pipes for appliances, such as a water heater, should go up slightly as they go toward outdoors, as shown below. This prevents CO from leaking if the joints or pipes aren’t fitted tightly. (Want to schedule an inspection today?)
- Have your chimney checked or cleaned every year. Chimneys can be blocked by debris. This can cause CO to build up inside your home or cabin.
How can we make sure our families are safe?
Simple, call Chimney Champs 860-594-8607 and schedule a home inspection. We will get a certified technician out to sweep, inspect and locate any issues you may have.