Carbon monoxide is a silent killer. It has no smell, color or taste so you don’t even know it’s present. CO poisoning accounts for about 50,000 emergency room visits each year in the U.S., with most cases occurring during the winter months because we’re more likely to keep our homes closed up. We’re also using more heat during the winter.
The primary sources of CO poisoning are faulty furnaces, gas appliances and car exhaust fumes. When these items are working properly, the gas goes outside the home. But when something goes wrong, carbon monoxide can build up in your home.
In fact, many people mistake CO poisoning for the flu. That’s because you might get a headache, feel dizzy or sick to your stomach. You could feel confused or weak, or have other symptoms.
To protect yourself and your family, you should take these measures:
- Install CO detectors on every level of your home, especially near sleeping areas and bedrooms. They are just as important as smoke alarms, cost less than $50 and even come with 10-year batteries.
- Make sure you have proper ventilation in your home and that your gas appliances are maintained.
- Test your CO detectors regularly and change the batteries twice a year if you don’t have the long life batteries. (Choose easy to remember points in time like July 4th and the December holidays OR when we change our clocks for daylight savings time.)
- Have your heating system, water heater and chimney checked every year by a professional.
- Never use gas stoves to heat your home during a power outage.
- Keep home generators outside and at least 20 feet away from windows and doors.
It doesn’t matter whether your detectors are on your ceiling or floor. They work in both places. If your carbon monoxide alarm goes off, don’t ignore it! Get everyone out of the house and call 911. Don’t go back into your home until the responders say it’s safe.
You should also get checked out by a doctor if the EMTs report high CO levels.
Remember, carbon monoxide kills silently. Keep you and your family safe.
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15 Nov 2025
0 Commentsthe silent killer
Carbon monoxide is a silent killer. It has no smell, color or taste so you don’t even know it’s present. CO poisoning accounts for about 50,000 emergency room visits each year in the U.S., with most cases occurring during the winter months because we’re more likely to keep our homes closed up. We’re also using more heat during the winter.
The primary sources of CO poisoning are faulty furnaces, gas appliances and car exhaust fumes. When these items are working properly, the gas goes outside the home. But when something goes wrong, carbon monoxide can build up in your home.
In fact, many people mistake CO poisoning for the flu. That’s because you might get a headache, feel dizzy or sick to your stomach. You could feel confused or weak, or have other symptoms.
To protect yourself and your family, you should take these measures:
It doesn’t matter whether your detectors are on your ceiling or floor. They work in both places. If your carbon monoxide alarm goes off, don’t ignore it! Get everyone out of the house and call 911. Don’t go back into your home until the responders say it’s safe.
You should also get checked out by a doctor if the EMTs report high CO levels.
Remember, carbon monoxide kills silently. Keep you and your family safe.