Thursday 5 February 2015

Carbon Monoxide!!

I think nearly everyone has heard of Carbon Monoxide which is a colourless, odourless and tasteless gas and how deadly it can be but do you know the facts!!

 
According to NHS statistics every year in the UK over 200 people go to hospital with suspected carbon monoxide poisoning and around 40 people die!!

The most common cause of a carbon monoxide leak is from incorrectly installed or poorly maintained household appliances – such as cookers, heaters and central heating boilers. A blocked flue or chimney can also cause carbon monoxide levels to rise to lethal concentrations in an enclosed space. 

In the last three years, an estimated one in six homes inspected by the Gas Safe Register was found to have an unsafe gas appliance and one in eleven has an unsafe boiler.

CORGI HomePlan is campaigning for every home to get a carbon monoxide detector so that they it keep your family safe.

It's very important to be aware of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and to look out for warning signs.

You should suspect carbon monoxide poisoning if:

  • Other people in your house, flat or workplace fall ill with similar symptoms
  • Your symptoms disappear when you go away (for example, on holiday) and return when you come back
  • Your symptoms tend to be seasonal – for example, you get headaches more often during the winter when the central heating is used more frequently
  • Your pets also become ill

Being aware of the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning could save your life. Here are the main six symptoms to look out for:
  • Headaches
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea
  • Breathlessness
  • Collapse
  • Loss of consciousness

Other possible clues of a carbon monoxide leak include: 
  • Black, sooty marks on the front covers of gas fires.
  • Sooty marks on the walls around boilers, stoves or fires.
  • Smoke building up in rooms due to a faulty flue.
  • Yellow instead of blue flames coming from gas appliances.
  • Pilot lights that frequently go out.
  • Increased condensation inside windows.

  If you suspect a Carbon Monoxide leak: 
  • Immediately stop using all your cooking and heating appliances that use fuel other than electricity.
  • Open all of the windows in your house or building.
  • Move away from the source of the carbon monoxide.Ring the National Gas Emergency Helpline on 0800 11 999.
  • Visit your GP as soon as possible.
  • Ask a suitably qualified engineer to inspect your cooking appliances, central heating and water heating appliances, to check they are safe. 

Have you got a Carbon Monoxide detector in your home? 

http://www.vevivos.com/linkys/post-comment-love/ 

I was sent a Carbon Monoxide detector in exchange for writing this post.....

17 comments :

  1. Good advice. My daughter Katie Haines died of carbon monoxide poisoning five years ago. I would recommend that everyone puts the emergency number into their mobile phone, so they don't waste lifesaving time - www.katiehaines.com

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  2. Thankfully we have. Unfortunately I know of someone who had it and was very ill and a friends, friend who was killed by it. Very very sad.

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    1. Good to hear....So sorry about your friend! It is something so easily avoidable though with a detector! x

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  3. Very, very important message! I'm actually completely paranoid about it with kids in the house and have a couple dotted around. When we had a chimney fire recently I even double checked with the fire brigade if I had placed our carbon monocide detectors in the correct places.

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    1. Ahh that's good you double checked with the fire brigade!
      Thank you!

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  4. We have a detector in our kitchen- one of the alarm types. I can remember watching Corrie years ago when Rita got CM poisoning - awful!!

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    1. Oh yes! When I think of CM poisoning I think of Rita off Corrie too.....

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  5. Very informative post and so important to raise awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. We have an alarm-type monitor in our house to help keep us safe x

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  6. Thanks for raising awareness on this, we have a monitor at home and when my daughters moved into student digs last summer this was one of the first things I checked! In my previous job working for the NHS I actually used to test carbon monoxide levels in blood.

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    1. It is such an important thing to know about x

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  7. We dont have gas so I dont know if we need it but we do have one that was provided by the agents. When I worked before in a pizza place they dont have it and one of the pipes leaked and everyone got sick and we need to close the store long. Its scary! #pocolo

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    1. It is only if you have gas so you are safe!!
      It is very scary.....Jeez! In a work place like that they should be extra careful x

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  8. I have to admit that we don't actually have one - so I think it is time we sorted it out. There are some very scary facts here. Thank you for linking to #PoCoLo x

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  9. I'm ashamed to admit I don't have a detector, and really need to get one. Thanks for sharing such an important post Zx #pocolo

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  10. It's quite scary to think this could happen without you realising it. I didn't even know they had detectors! Must sort out that. Thanks for the heads up? Xx #PoCoLo

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