What You Need To Know About Carbon Monoxide (NAPSA)—Newfindings from a national poll conducted by RoperASW suggest that the first step to protecting your family from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning (CO) may be learning more about the problem. According to the home-safety study, there are dangerous gaps in awareness about carbon monoxide. The study found that while 43 percent of Americans identify a home fire as an accidental tragedy most likely to cause injury or even death to a family member, nearly as many don’t know that CO has no detectable smell. That may be one reason why this odorless gas is responsible for more accidental deaths than any other single poison (Journal of the American Medical Association). Follow these home-safety tips to reduce the threat of accidental CO poisoning, especially during the home-heating season: * Keep gas stove and range tops maintained and in working condition. * Check your gas furnace and water heater regularly for soot buildup and to see that the pilot light (which should be mostly yellow in color) is burning properly. When in doubt, have a qualified technician inspect the appliances. * Install a screened cap over the top of chimneys to discourage nest building, which can cause poor ventilation. Before starting a fire, be sure the flue is open and not clogged. 0 =| Potential Sources of Carbon Monoxide intheHome * Never run your car in an attached garage—even with the garage door open. * Do not run a generator indoors or in a poorly ventilated area, such as a garage or porch. * Install a minimum of one battery-operated CO alarm (or AC-powered alarm with battery backup) outside each sleeping area, and for maximum protection, install at least one CO alarm on each level of your home. Make sure to test them regularly and change the batteries twice a year to ensure they remain in working order. To learn more about the risks posed by accidental CO poisoning and to take steps to make your homesafer, visit the First Alert Home Safety Challenge” Website at www.homesafetychallenge.com. The site provides tips on how to check for CO hazards and a roomby-room safety audit.
