Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week
If it’s coming home to a warm, cosy house and hibernating from these damp and cold evenings and relaxing in front of the fire or stove with a book, glass of wine or watching TV, please ask yourself… have you checked the batteries in your smoke and Carbon Monoxide alarms recently?
At Ablewight Chimney Services, we believe it is very important to continue to spread the messages of safety to our customers. We are here to remind our customers of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning and raise awareness of this silent killer and continue to promote the safety message to our customers as part off Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week 2016 – 21st- 27th November. Carbon Monoxide is a really dangerous gas and can cause severe health problems and even death. Every year there are about 50 deaths and 200 people admitted to hospital as a result of Carbon Monoxide poisoning — produced no matter what fuel we burn to heat our homes.
Keep yourselves safe from this lethal gas and don’t risk the safety of your family – make sure you have a Carbon Monoxide Alarm installed!
Check the batteries in you smoke and Carbon Monoxide alarms NOW!
Join us in helping to raise awareness of Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week and share our Facebook updates amongst your friends and family.
Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week was launched by CO-Awareness, a registered charity that supports many victims of Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning, their families and friends. With Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week this week, we’ve put together their useful myth buster information for you from www.covictim.org
What is Carbon Monoxide?
The physical properties of carbon monoxide are:
- It is a colourless, odourless, neutral, gaseous oxide, which is highly poisonous.
- It is sparingly soluble in water, but is soluble in ethanol and in benzene.
- It has a relative density that is similar to air.
- The chemical properties of carbon monoxide are that it is:
- A flammable and highly toxic gas.
- A neutral oxide which burns in air to give carbon dioxide.
- A good reducing agent.
- An important industrial gas widely used as a fuel
- A reducing agent in the chemical industry.
Causes of poisoning…
Carbon monoxide is produced when fuels are burned incompletely. This includes:
- Tobacco smoking
- Idling petrol
- Diesel powered engines
- Even burning your toast or chops!
All these fuels are found in the domestic/recreational and working environment. The risk of poisoning from properly installed, ventilated and regularly maintained appliances is extremely low.
However, we spend approximately 80% of our time in enclosed spaces like the home, vehicle, caravan, holiday accommodation, office, workshop, boat even a tent, it follows that having improperly installed, maintained, or the incorrect operation or use of appliances which can create unsafe levels of Carbon Monoxide could dramatically increase our risk of exposure.
The following symptoms could indicate carbon monoxide poisoning:
- Respiratory Problems
- Concentration Problems
- Behaviour Problems
- Personality Change
- Severe Muscle Pains
- Fast Heart Rate
- Vision Problems
- Loss of Hearing
- Walking Problems
These measures can help to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning:
- All fuel burning appliances and associated flues/chimneys are installed by the appropriate, registered trades people.
- The above are maintained and serviced in accordance with the manufacturers instructions
- No-one modifies or tampers with any appliance, flue or chimney
- Your chimney is swept and inspected regularly
- Ventilation openings are not blocked and are free from vegetations
- Fit an audible carbon Monoxide alarm, certified to EN 50291
- The carbon monoxide alarm is tested when your appliances are.
All appliances should be correctly installed and maintained. A Carbon Monoxide alarm is not a substitute!
What to do if you have been poisoned…
If you believe you have been poisoned you should preferably seek medical attention at A&E. Inform medical staff you suspect you have been poisoned by Carbon Monoxide and give all the information that you possibly can that makes you think this.
You should request an immediate blood test – you may have been poisoned but a delayed analysis could show a false negative.
Switch on or re-light any of your appliances until you have had them checked by the relevant trades people and you are assured they are safe.
Allow the removal of, or major works to any appliance found faulty without first taking advice.
– See more at: http://covictim.org/myth-buster/#sthash.RH7zMrOP.dpuf
If you have any queries or doubts about your fireplace, chimney or stove, please do get in touch and we’ll be happy to advise you on safety.