SALT LAKE CITY — It’s something that can sneak up on you and doesn’t give you much of a heads-up.
“You don't even know when it's permeating throughout your living space,” said Kelly Bird with Unified Fire Authority. “You can't taste it, you can't smell it, and carbon monoxide binds to your blood at a much higher level than oxygen does, so it just kind of takes over that oxygen binding part of your blood, and there's just nothing you can do to reverse it.”
As people start to warm up their homes, experts are warning residents about the effects of carbon monoxide.
“If a person has their vehicle in the garage and they close the garage door and keep it running, that's a perfect opportunity for carbon monoxide to show up, and using the stove and the oven and even a generator,” said Heidi Ruster with the American Red Cross of Utah.
Anything that burns fuel can create carbon monoxide, but what about electric appliances?
“Electric is not going to produce carbon monoxide, but pretty much all furnaces and water heaters are fuel-burning devices, and so those are usually two big culprits,” Bird said.
While a detector is one of the only ways to warn of the gas, other symptoms can develop.
“Headache, dizziness, maybe a little bit of fatigue or confusion, maybe some nausea or even vomiting,” Bird said. "They can progress to a worse state of lethargy or loss of consciousness.”
Some, however, don’t wake up, which is why it is important to educate everyone in the home, especially young children.
“If you don't feel well or if something's not right, make sure they are letting an adult know, and they also know where the exits are in the house,” Ruster said.
If you are experiencing symptoms, get out and call 911, to make sure the situation doesn’t have permanent consequences.
“Any type of incident we respond to is probably that individual's worst day, and so we don't want to see people go through that experience,” Bird said.
It is recommended to check the detectors monthly. If you live in an apartment and are unsure how up-to-date the detectors are, make sure to check with the landlord prior to the colder months.
You can typically purchase a carbon monoxide detector at any hardware store that also sells smoke alarms.
