Personal Insurance Blog

Know the risks of carbon monoxide. Anything that burns a fuel — such as a furnace, fireplace, generator, gas appliance or car produces carbon monoxide (CO).

When these devices are properly maintained and vented, this colorless, odorless gas can be effectively dispersed and channeled out of your home. If not, you could have serious health issues.

At lower concentrations, victims may experience a headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain and confusion, but at higher concentrations, CO can quickly cause a loss of consciousness and death.

Keep your vents clear. During and after a storm, make sure nothing is obstructing the outside vent for your dryer, stove, furnace and fireplace. Take special care to prevent snow from building up and blocking these vents.

Do not run engines in a closed area. Proper ventilation is critical to avoiding CO poisoning. So do not start a car, fire up a grill or stove, or run a generator in a basement or garage.

Keep fireplaces clean and well vented. If you have a wood-burning fireplace or stove, make sure you keep it clean and that the flue is working properly.

Install CO alarms. If you have fuel-burning appliances, a fireplace or an attached garage, you should install these special devices in your home. You will want one on every level (including the basement). You can even buy combo smoke /CO detectors.

To discuss this exposure at greater length, call a Gordon Atlantic Insurance professional toll free at 800-649-3252.  Prefer to type versus talk?  Use the form at the top left of this blog!