If you have a furnace, boiler, water heater, cooking range, or any other fuel-burning device in your Rhode Island home, it emits at least some carbon monoxide as it operates.
If your equipment is functioning properly and is sufficiently vented, these emissions will be guided harmlessly outside your home – but if that carbon monoxide remains inside your home, it can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning – a dangerous and possibly deadly threat to your family.
Here are some carbon monoxide basics, including its dangers and how to prevent them.
Carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless gas produced by burning any fuel, including heating oil, gasoline, coal, wood, charcoal, kerosene, propane, or natural gas.
CO typically accumulates due to poor ventilation or malfunctioning equipment. Some causes of CO buildup include overuse of unvented appliances, a poorly maintained heating system, using outdoor appliances within or just outside the home, a backdraft near the heating appliance, or a blocked flue.
An oil-fired system that is emitting CO into your home will produce smoke and soot; if you see soot on your oil-burning equipment, contact us immediately for service.
Symptoms of CO poisoning become more severe as exposure to the gas increases. Mild symptoms resemble the flu – headaches, nausea, fatigue, and dizziness; moderate symptoms include severe headaches, drowsiness, confusion, and disorientation; extreme case symptoms include unconsciousness, convulsions, heart failure, and in rare cases death.
If you or someone in your home is experiencing CO poisoning symptoms,
Always assume your CO alarm is operating correctly! If it sounds,
At Vaughn Oil, your safety is always our priority! If you have any questions about carbon monoxide safety, or believe that any of your appliances require expert heating equipment repair in Rhode Island, contact us today.
