The Ontario legislature recently passed a bill mandating carbon monoxide alarms in homes with gas appliances and/or an attached garage. The law, expected to be in place before the end of 2013, will be enforced by local fire departments and penalties will be similar to those related to smoke detectors.
At Direct Energy, we support this new legislation which will help to keep Ontarians safe and healthy. We strongly encourage you not to wait for the law to be in place and take steps now to protect your family from carbon monoxide poisoning. This includes installing a carbon monoxide alarm and regularly maintaining your gas appliances.
What is Carbon Monoxide?
Carbon monoxide, known as the silent killer, is an odourless, tasteless and colourless gas that can cause serious health problems or death. In Ontario, over 70 per cent of all carbon monoxide deaths and injuries occur in residential homes. Carbon monoxide is a by-product of burning fossil fuels like natural gas, wood, propane, and oil and residential sources include gas fireplaces, furnaces and stoves. Carbon monoxide poisoning is characterized by flu-like symptoms. If your family starts to experience these symptoms you must get everyone out of the house immediately and call 911.
How do you prevent Carbon Monoxide in your home? The most important action you can take to detect carbon monoxide is to install alarms in your home. To be most effective, ensure the alarms are situated in the right locations. A common mistake is placing alarms in the basement by the furnace. Since carbon monoxide travels upstairs through ductwork and vents it’s important to install one near your heating equipment and another near any bedrooms.
In addition to installing carbon monoxide alarms, follow these tips to reduce your risk:
Prepare your furnace for winter
- Schedule an inspection and maintenance for gas appliances, such as furnaces, boilers and fireplaces to make sure your equipment is ready for winter. An inspection can help detect carbon monoxide leaks and help prevent the development of hazardous conditions.
Test and update your equipment
- Test your carbon monoxide alarms monthly by pushing the test button on the unit to ensure it’s working properly.
- Replace batteries in your carbon monoxide alarms each year and replace any unit older than five years.
Check for blockages
- Have a licensed technician check fireplaces and chimneys for closed or blocked flues which could cause carbon monoxide leakages.
- Ensure all gas fired appliances are properly vented and check that there are no blockages around the outdoor vent which could potentially stop air from properly escaping.
Simply being aware of the risks won’t protect you from carbon monoxide poisoning; you need to take steps to prevent it. And not only is this a safety issue, by properly maintaining your equipment you’re extending the life of it and it will operate more efficiently, which could save you money on your energy bills.