Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week 2022: read on for lifesaving advice
This week, from November 21-27, it’s Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week. Here’s some vital information to keep you and your loved ones safe.
Carbon monoxide is the silent killer that every household needs to be aware of. It can be given off by faulty gas appliances, or by incorrect use of gas appliances. This deadly gas has no scent, so without a carbon monoxide detector you won’t know it’s there. It starves the body of oxygen, making you feel unwell, so the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are sometimes mistaken for a cold or flu. The longer your exposure to carbon monoxide, the worse the symptoms become, potentially leading to death.
To help you ensure you and your family are safe, we’ve put together this simple guide.
Know the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning
If you or anyone in your household has these symptoms, make sure there’s no chance it could be due to carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Headaches
- Feeling dizzy and nauseous
- Difficulty breathing
- Collapsing or lack of consciousness.
Steps to stay safe from carbon monoxide at home
Do:
- Get your appliances, flues and chimneys serviced
- Install a BS EN 50291-1 compliant carbon monoxide alarm
- Use your extraction fan when cooking. If you don’t have one, open a window
- Save the Gas Emergency Service Number onto your phone: 0800 111 999
- Register your appliances for the latest product safety updates
- Look out for a crisp blue flame rather than a floppy yellow flame on gas appliances.
Don’t:
- Don’t use a large cooking pan or pot to cook over multiple rings on your gas hob or stove.
- Don’t block flues or ventilation bricks and passages, as these help to maintain good air quality.
- Don’t ever put a generator or any other diesel or petrol burning appliance inside a building or position it where fumes can blow inside. The build-up of carbon monoxide from these can kill in minutes.
- Don’t ignore it if a neighbour or friend tells you they feel unwell at home but better outside. Make sure they know about carbon monoxide so they can act.
Carbon monoxide and the law
This year, the laws are changing for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in the UK and many more domestic properties will be legally required to have such alarms. From the 1st of December 2022 the regulations in Wales will require landlords to ensure working carbon monoxide detectors are fitted in their properties where there is any gas appliance, an oil-fired combustion appliance or a solid fuel burning combustion appliance.
Go to the link to find out more : www.coalarmssavelives.com/the-new-rules
We hope this guide equips you to protect your household and spot any signals of carbon monoxide poisoning if they occur. Remember, regular servicing of your gas appliances, flues and chimneys is vital, so get in touch with us today, if you’d like to arrange a visit.
For more information on the above please visit: https://www.coalarmssavelives.com/