The Importance of having a Carbon Monoxide Detector in your Home

If you are lucky enough to have a real fireplace or stove in your home that burns either gas or solid fuel, carbon monoxide will be released into the room and the house’s atmosphere. An extremely dangerous substance in any space, this toxic gas is made even more menacing and hazardous by the fact that it is colourless, odourless, tasteless and non-irritating to begin with; meaning households, offices and public areas can go about their day-to-day lives without being aware of its presence.

For this reason, it is vital that you are able to detect high levels of this substance in the atmosphere. Here, we explain a bit about what carbon monoxide poisoning is and what the giveaway signs and symptoms are.

What is carbon monoxide poisoning?

Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning occurs after continual exposure to, and inhalation of, this toxic gas. Often produced by motor vehicles, cookers or heating equipment running on gasoline, diesel, methane or other carbon-based fuels, this gas is very difficult to detect and once in the system can prove extremely dangerous to an individual’s health.

Symptoms of CO poisoning

There are varying degrees of CO poisoning depending on the length of exposure to the toxic gas.

If you are suffering from mild acute poisoning, it will include:

• Light-headedness
• Confusion
• Vertigo
• Headaches
• Other flu-related symptoms

These symptoms can be fairly easily treated following a consultation with a GP who can advise the right medication to sufferers, and ensure that the effects of the gas are only short-term and have not spread throughout the patient’s system causing more serious issues.

Greater exposure to the gas – or chronic poisoning – can lead to significant toxicity within the central nervous system and heart, which can be extremely dangerous and ultimately lead to death. The toxic gas is also extremely hazardous to pregnant women, having severe and damaging effects on the unborn foetus.

How to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning

To ensure that the environment in which you are living is completely safe and free from carbon monoxide, it is important that you have a carbon monoxide detector installed on your premises that is fully functioning at all times.

Here at Rotherham Fireplace Centre, we are aware of the potential hazards of carbon monoxide within inhabited spaces, which is why we produce only the highest quality of fireplaces for all our customers. For more information on any of our products or services, don’t hesitate to contact our team today – we’re happy to help with any enquiry.