Oil and gas furnaces are an extremely popular way to heat homes in the United States. The majority of these furnaces, are vented thru the chimney. Because you are not burning wood or coal, most homeowners do not think about what is really going on inside of their chimney. The truth is, that an improperly vented furnace can mean sickness and/or even death.Take a look at some of the statistics below.
According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, "there are approximately 2,100 unintentional deaths from carbon monoxide (CO) every year in the U.S.
Carbon monoxide (CO) can be produced when burning any fuel: gasoline, propane, natural gas, oil, wood and coal. It is the product of incomplete combustion. Carbon monoxide can kill in minutes or hours depending on the level of CO in the air.
If CO is inhaled at damaging levels it can lead to breathing difficulties, impaired judgment and memory, damage to the nervous system, cardiac trauma, brain damage, coma and even death.
Everyone is susceptible, but experts agree that unborn babies, young children, pregnant women, senior citizens and people with heart or respiratory problems are especially vulnerable and are at the highest risk for death or serious injury.
Every year have the heating system and chimney inspected. Install a carbon monoxide alarm near the sleeping areas and on every level of the home.
Carbon Monoxide poisonings are one of the most preventable situations occurring in America today. The loss of life is senseless. Purchase, install and maintain a good quality CO detector today, and call a qualified service contractor to test the fired appliances in your home tomorrow. Together, we CAN stop the rising death toll.
Below is a Public Safety Bulletin from the Chimney Safety Institute of America
It's so easy…so automatic…that people just don't think. Every year, when the weather turns cold, homeowners reach for household thermostats, flip a switch to turn on the heat and set the temperature to 68 or 70 degrees. Little thought is given to whether the furnace exhaust system – the chimney and connector pipe – is ready to provide safe, effective service.
Consumer confidence in the convenience and safety of today's home heating systems is usually well placed. The oil and gas heating industries have achieved impressive safety records. Nonetheless, over 200 people across the nation are known to die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by problems in the venting – out of their homes – of toxic gases produced by their heating systems. This is according to statistics compiled by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Other agencies estimate actual numbers at between 2,000 and 4,000.
In addition, around 10,000 cases of carbon monoxide-related "injuries" are diagnosed each year. Because the symptoms of prolonged, low-level carbon monoxide poisoning "mimic" the symptoms of common winter ailments (headaches, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, even seasonal depression), many cases are not detected until permanent, subtle damage to the brain, heart and other organs and tissues has occurred. The difficulty of diagnosis also means the number of people affected may be even higher.
Fortunately, regular chimney system inspection and maintenance can prevent poisoning incidents like these.
Numerous agencies and organizations now recognize the importance of annual heating system inspection and maintenance in preventing carbon monoxide poisoning. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Fire Protection Association, the American Lung Association – are some of the organizations that now encourage the regular maintenance of home heating systems and their chimneys.
Dont gamble with your life or your loved ones lives. Get an experienced and reputable chimney service company like Spring Hill Chimney Service to come out and give you the piece of mind in knowing that you and your family are SAFE!
No comments:
Post a Comment