It’s finally spring!
But as we gleefully put the winter coats to the far side of the closet and the heavy sweaters into storage, we have a few other things to do.
Topping the to-do list should be replacing the batteries in your Hudson Valley home’s carbon monoxide detectors. Because forgetting to do so is not only dangerous, it could be deadly for you and your loved ones.
Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is a serious problem. According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 430 people die from carbon monoxide poisoning each year. Also, CO poisoning lands 50,000 people in the emergency room. Four-thousand of them are hospitalized.
Now you see why carbon monoxide detectors are essential safety equipment for your home. Here are some key facts about CO detectors and your home.
Carbon monoxide detectors need to be placed on every level of your home, and outside of all bedrooms or sleeping areas
You need to change the batteries twice a year, when you change the batteries on your smoke detector and change your clocks to or from Daylight Savings Time
Carbon monoxide detectors are only effective for five years, so if yours are that age or older, the need to be replaced entirely
Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs when carbon monoxide builds up in your blood, replacing the oxygen in your red blood cells. Vital organs like your brain, heart and lungs are deprived of the oxygen they need to function. CO poisoning can cause serious, sometimes permanent, injury and can be fatal.
People who are asleep or under the influence of alcohol, drugs or prescription medications can die of CO poisoning before any symptoms wake them up.
The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are often called “flu-like.” If you or anyone in your home show these symptoms, you need to get out of the house and call 911.
The elderly, children, and people with anemia, respiratory conditions or chronic heart disease are especially vulnerable to carbon monoxide poisoning.
Pets often exhibit signs of CO poisoning before they appear in people. Those signs include lethargy, sudden vomiting, seizures, difficulty breathing and loss of consciousness.
If your pet shows any of these signs, get everyone out of the house, call 911 and get your pet to an emergency veterinarian clinic right away.
Contact Resnick Energy to learn more about carbon monoxide safety.
