Check Home Heating System Before Winter Cold Sets In

 A killer may be lurking in your home and you may not even know it. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), over 230 people die each year due to the release of carbon monoxide from home heating equipment in what they thought was the ""safety"" of their own homes. This colorless, odorless toxic gas can enter through faulty furnaces or gas-fired room heaters, or can be trapped inside by blocked chimney flues.

"Carbon monoxide is a silent killer," said CPSC Chairman Jacqueline Jones-Smith. "It is both colorless and odorless so consumers may not know it's present until it's too late," she said.

The CPSC estimates that in 1988, the most recent year for which statistics are available, there were 190 carbon monoxide deaths from gas-fired heating equipment, about 35 deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning associated with solid-fueled appliances, and about 15 carbon monoxide deaths associated with liquid-fueled heaters. The Commission urges homeowners to have their home heating systems inspected by a qualified contractor each year before turning on the heat for the winter. Checks should be made of the furnace and its electrical and mechanical components, thermostat controls, and automatic safety devices.

While chimneys and flues are not normally checked by heating technicians, the CPSC says consumers should ask that their inspection include venting systems. Possible blockages such as birds' nests and debris may prevent toxic gases from escaping and can result in carbon monoxide poisoning. Also, check flues and flue connectors for tight secure fittings and for signs of rust or cracks that could allow toxic gases to enter your home.

Chimney inspections are especially important where oil or coal heating systems have been converted to gas. Chimney sweeps should clean the chimney of accumulated soot and debris after a conversion, to prevent CO from being trapped inside the home. Then, the chimney should be inspected yearly.

Currently-manufactured unvented gas-fired room heaters are required to have a safety shut-off device called an oxygen depletion sensor (ODS) that shuts the heater off when there is not enough fresh air. If you have an unvented gas-fired room heater, be sure it is legal in your community and that you open windows sufficiently to be sure you have an exchange of air in the room so there is no build-up of carbon monoxide.

Even with these precautions, consumers should be alert to signs of carbon monoxide poisoning. Symptoms are similar to flu- like illnesses and include dizziness, fatigue, headaches, nausea, and irregular breathing.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is issuing this warning as part of its mission to protect the public from unreasonable risks of injury and death associated with consumer products. The Commission's objective is to reduce the estimated 28.5 million injuries and 21,600 deaths associated each year with the 15,000 different types of consumer products under CPSC's jurisdiction.

NOTE: The Commission has available a free publication with additional information about carbon monoxide and other indoor air quality issues. To order a copy, send a postcard to "CO Poisoning," Washington, DC, 20207.