National fire safety organizations such as the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommend that you have your chimney swept and inspected every year for important reasons. Maintaining your fireplace and chimney is crucial to prevent hazardous situations, including chimney fires and carbon monoxide leaks. Olde Towne Chimney & Fireplace Sales is here to help you avoid disasters like residential fires and carbon monoxide poisoning from happening to you and your family. We would like to tell you more about carbon monoxide poisoning and how you can prevent it from occurring in your home.
How common is carbon monoxide poisoning?
According to the CSIA , the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has reported that over 200 people die and approximately 10,000 people get sick every year in this country from carbon monoxide poisoning in their homes. These deaths and injuries are the result of venting issues that prevent the exiting of this toxic gas out of homes. The most dangerous aspect of carbon monoxide poisoning is its symptoms are often misdiagnosed.
What are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning?
Similar to the symptoms of the flu and the common cold, low level exposure to carbon monoxide causes headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and nausea. Even more alarming, this toxic gas is invisible, odorless, and tasteless, which means you could continue to breathe in this poisonous gas without even knowing it. This can lead to more serious health problems, including organ damage and failure and death. If you are suffering from the symptoms of low level carbon monoxide exposure for longer than two weeks with no signs of improvement, you should ask your doctor to test your blood for carbon monoxide.
How can Olde Towne Chimney & Fireplace Sales help me avoid carbon monoxide poisoning in my home?
We agree the recommendations from national organizations such as the NFPA, the American Lung Association, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to have your chimney professionally cleaned and inspected annually. These routine maintenance services ensure your fireplace is working efficiently and safely. We will look for problems like flue blockages and damaged chimney liners that can allow carbon monoxide to leak into your home. We also strongly recommend installing carbon monoxide detector alarms throughout your home. Since carbon monoxide has no smell or taste, these alarms will alert you to its presence and can save your life.
Prevent the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning in your home. Contact us at Olde Towne Chimney & Fireplace Sales to schedule an appointment for our professional chimney sweeping and inspection services today.