Florida Homebuilder Centerline Homes | Real Estate Blog

How to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in your Home

Have your furnace and gas appliances inspected and maintained by a qualified contractor once a year. This should be done before the start of the heating months.

In addition to professional annual checkups, periodically check your furnace. Look for these things:

• Flames should be mostly blue and steady.
• Look for discoloration or soot buildup around the burner access door and vents. This could signal a problem.
• Check the venting system. Soft, rusted or broken vent piping can release combustion products indoors.
• Examine the furnace or boiler. See that it's free of dust, rust or any other signs of corrosion.
• Check air filters regularly. Clean or replace them as needed.
• Make sure furnace panels and grill are in place and the fan compartment door is closed when the furnace is on. Leaving these doors open could cause CO to build up in living areas.

Portable Generators/Gas Powered Equipment

If using a portable generator or gas/diesel power peice of equipment never run it in the house or garage.  Generators should only be used outdoors in a well ventalated area.

Install Carbon Monoxide alarms

It is a good idea to install a CO alarm on each level of your home, and in or near each sleeping area.

Try to keep the detectors at least 20 feet from any fuel burning appliances and at least 10 feet from high humidity locations like bathrooms and kitchens. If an alarm sounds, call a professional to check your gas burning appliances.

Testing your Carbon Monoxide detector/alarm

One can determine if a CO detector/alarm is working by using special CO alarm testing devices. These devices simulate CO using a small pellet in a package. When the pellet is moistened, it releases a non-toxic gas. After a few minutes, if the alarm is properly working, the alarm should sound. For more information about these testing devices, check with your local hardware store.