Br-r-r-r-r!
Cold weather is on the way
By Lee Raynor
Editor
Posted: 10:15 PM EST Thursday January 26, 2006
Temperatures are expected to dive tonight and midway through the weekend, with forecasters predicting below-zero night-time readings, at least through Saturday. Staying warm could be a challenge.
Space heaters, used properly, can warm a room, but firefighters urge caution.
Heaters using any energy source, except electricity, can be dangerous, said Woody Spencer, information officer for the Kinston Public Safety Department.
“Carbon monoxide is a problem any time you’re using a fuel that is not electric,” Spencer said.
Carbon monoxide is a deadly gas that is odorless, colorless and tasteless. It results from the incomplete burning of fossil fuels -- gas, oil, coal and wood used in stoves, furnaces, engines, oil burners, gas fires, water heaters, solid fuel appliances and open fires.
Dangerous amounts of carbon monoxide can accumulate as a result of poor installation, poor maintenance or failure or damage to an appliance, fuel improperly burned, or when rooms are poorly ventilated and the gas is unable to escape.
One way to decrease carbon monoxide buildup is to crack a window when using space heaters, Spencer said.
“Carbon monoxide is silent and it will kill you,” Spencer said.
Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors become doubly important in winter when houses are closed.
While electric heaters don’t release carbon monoxide, they post other potential risks that also are shared by any other type of heat source.
Any heater should be placed at least 3 feet away from humans, pets or flammable items such as curtains, blankets and clothing.
Gasoline should never be used in a kerosene heater because of the risk of explosion, Spencer said, and carbon monoxide detectors are especially important when using kerosene heat.
“Propane heaters are basically made to heat when you have plenty of ventilation,” he said.
Fireplaces come with their own problems. Creosote buildup can result in a deadly fire. Popping embers can ignite rugs, carpets or other flammable materials as well as result in serious burns to children and pets. Fireplace screens can help keep burning materials inside the firebox.
Spencer said every fireplace should be cleaned annually by a chimney sweep and pine wood should not be burned because of its high creosote content.
Ovens may seem to be a convenient warming device, but Spencer cautioned that stoves are for cooking – not for heating.
“Stoves get very, very hot and if you’re not using it to cook, there’s nothing to there to absorb the heat,” he said.. “The stove will overheat. Heaters are meant to heat, stoves to cook.”
People who use electric blankets and heating pads to stay warm at night should be careful to turn them off in the morning. Older model blankets, those in which you can feel the wires, can be especially dangerous if left on.
And while a pot of soup or stew may warm you inside, make sure that’s the only resulting heat. If the telephone rings, or someone comes to the door, take a potholder or a cooking spoon with you to answer. That’s a sure reminder that something is brewing on the stove and could prevent a cooking fire, Spencer advises.
Two more pieces of cold-weather advice: Remember your pets and remember your neighbors.
Pets who stay outside should be checked frequently in very cold weather, Spencer said. He suggests placing pine straw or hay in a dog pen or dog house for extra warmth.
And neighbors, especially the elderly living alone, who may have no one to rely on.
“Don’t be afraid to walk across the street and check on them,” Spencer said. “A lot of seniors are very proud. Do your best to help them out without showing them they really need it. Be observant. Offer blankets, invite them to come over and warm up. Help when you can.”
Ten Signs of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
- Check the flame color of your appliances. If it’s orange you have a problem. However, blue doesn’t necessarily mean it’s safe. Get your appliances checked annually and get a detector if unsure.
- Check the flue. Is it blocked? Do you have creeping plants growing up your walls? Do you have birds nesting in your flue? Completely remove these obstructions from the flue area and fit a guard to stop any birds nesting. Get your flue checked! Is it drawing properly? Was it fitted correctly in the first place?
- Do you have a gas grill? They can be particularly hazardous. Is yours working correctly? Older appliances can be problematic. Get your cooker checked.
- Is there adequate ventilation? Check your vents. If the appliances in your home do not have enough air they can produce carbon monoxide.
- When were your appliances last checked? Do it every year and don't leave it to chance. Remember, the serviceman can only check the conditions on the day he comes. Get protection year round. Fit a CO detector with a low-level alarm
- Do you suffer from unexplained illnesses -- fatigue, muscle pains, upset stomach, lethargy, dizziness, headaches. Go to your doctor and get a CohB test, go directly from your house, as the CO in your blood will deplete and may not be detectable.
- We all feel better on vacation. If you feel especially invigorated it may be that you have been removed from the source of the poison. If your health goes into decline on your return it may be that it's not just post-vacation blues. You may be suffering from carbon monoxide in your home.
- The most important thing that you can do to protect yourself and your family from the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning is to get a carbon monoxide detector alarm with a low level indicator. If you fit a detector you can at least be sure, having done all the safety checks, that you are protected.
Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Carbon Monoxide produces the following physiological effects on people exposed to the concentrations shown. These symptoms are for the average healthy adult. Infants, children, people with existing health problems and senior citizens will be affected more quickly.
|
Concentration of CO in air |
Inhalation time and toxic developed |
|
50 parts per million (ppm) |
Safety level as specified by the federal government |
|
200 PPM |
Slight headache within 2-3 hours |
|
400 PPM |
Frontal headache within 1-2 hours, becoming widespread in 3 hours |
|
800 PPM |
Dizziness, nausea, convulsions within 45 minutes, insensible in 2 hours |
|
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