Carbon Monoxide (CO) is an invisible, odourless, tasteless and extremely poisonous gas.
It is produced by gas appliances such as boilers, cookers and fires. When gas appliances are not maintained properly, they burn the fuel less efficiently causing an increase in the amount of Carbon Monoxide produced. It can then become trapped in your home and rise to dangerous levels.
As Carbon Monoxide is invisible, odourless and tasteless, it is referred to as the silent killer. It is very hard to spot if your appliances are producing high levels of this gas. So here are a few symptoms of Carbon Monoxide poisoning to look out for:
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Breathlessness
- Collapsing
- Loss of consciousness
Sometime Carbon Monoxide poisoning can be mistaken for flu, food poisoning, viral infections, fatigue and even a hangover. However, if it is Carbon Monoxide the symptoms will seem to disappear as you leave the house and others in the house, including pets, will be experiencing similar symptoms at the same time. If you think you are experiencing symptoms of Carbon Monoxide poisoning, please contact a medical professional as soon as possible. In severe cases, it can be fatal.
Although it isn’t always obvious that gas appliances are producing high levels of Carbon Monoxide, there could be signs that you can look out for.
- Floppy yellow or orange flames on your gas hob, rather than a crisp blue flame
- Dark, sooty staining on or around the gas appliance
- Pilot light that frequently blows out
If you think your appliance isn’t burning as it should, please turn it off and contact our office and we can have our gas engineers investigate it.
The best way to help protect yourself from Carbon Monoxide poisoning is to have your gas appliances regularly serviced and checked, and to have a Carbon Monoxide alarm installed. We can help keep you safe. Please call our office for any more information.
