Going to Extremes to Keep Warm

Winter storms can leave whole regions without power. For heat, many people have turned to such sources as gas ovens and charcoal grills. As a result, carbon monoxide poisoning has already killed six people and sent about 100 to the hospital.

An invisible killer
Carbon monoxide is a silent killer. It's colorless. It's odorless. It's poisonous. It is produced by burning fuel, which means any fuel-burning appliance in your home is a potential source. Every year, almost 500 Americans die from it and over 15,000 end up in emergency rooms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

To stop this killer, the CDC recommends that every home have a battery-operated carbon monoxide detector. You should check or replace the detector's battery when changing your clocks each spring and fall.

Other tips to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning:

• Use stoves and fireplaces only if they are properly ventilated.
• Do not use gas ovens to heat a home or an apartment. Never use a charcoal grill in the house, even if it's placed in the fireplace.
• Before the cold sets in, get your heating system checked by a qualified technician.
• Use generators outside the home, garage or basement only. Last year, 64 people died from carbon monoxide poisoning from generators. The same precautions go for charcoal grills, camp stoves and other gasoline- or charcoal-burning devices.
• Have your fuel-burning appliances - including oil and gas furnaces, gas water heaters, gas ranges and ovens, gas dryers, gas or kerosene space heaters, fireplaces and wood stoves - inspected by a trained professional at the beginning of every heating season.
• Don't idle the car in a garage - even if the garage door to the outside is open. Fumes can build up very quickly in the garage and living area of your home.

Finally, if you think you may have been exposed to carbon monoxide and feel dizzy, lightheaded or nauseated, get fresh air right away. Open doors and windows, turn off combustion appliances and leave the house.

GO TO AN EMERGENCY ROOM and tell the phyisican you suspect CO poisoning. If CO poisoning has occurred, it can often be diagnosed by a blood test done soon after exposure. Exposure to even low levels of carbon monoxide over a long time can cause heart and brain damage.

Related Articles Carbon Monoxide: Unseen Killer Carbon Monoxide: the Odorless Killer Home Safe Home - Protecting Against Home Hazards

External Sources Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Winter home heating hazards. Accessed December 19, 2006. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Protect Your family and yourself from carbon monoxide poisoning. Accessed May 22, 2007.

This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.

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