Carbon monoxide safety tips
The National Fire Protection Association suggests the following safety tips to avoid the dangers of carbon monoxide.
n Install carbon monoxide alarms listed by an independent testing laboratory inside your home to provide
BY T&D STAFFSunday, January 07, 2007
The National Fire Protection Association suggests the following safety tips to avoid the dangers of carbon monoxide.
n Install carbon monoxide alarms listed by an independent testing laboratory inside your home to provide early warning of accumulating CO. CO alarms should be installed in a central location outside each separate sleeping area. If bedrooms are spaced apart, each area will need a CO alarm.
n Test CO alarms at least once a month and replace alarms according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
n CO alarms are not substitutes for smoke alarms. Know the difference between the sound of smoke alarms and CO alarms.
n Have fuel-burning heating equipment (fireplaces, furnaces, water heaters, wood and coal stoves, space or portable heaters) and chimneys inspected by a professional every year before cold weather sets in.
n When using a fireplace, open the flue for adequate ventilation.
n Never use your oven or grill to heat your home.
n When buying an existing home, have a qualified technician evaluate the integrity of the heating and cooking systems, as well as the sealed spaces between the garage and house.
n If you need to warm a vehicle, remove it from the garage immediately after starting it. Do not run a vehicle, generator, or other fueled engine or motor indoors, even if garage doors are open. Make sure the exhaust pipe of a running vehicle is not covered with snow.
n During and after a snowstorm, make sure vents for the dryer, furnace, stove and fireplace are clear of snow build-up.
For more information on carbon monoxide poisoning, view the fact sheets on the National Fire Protection Association’s Web site at http://www.nfpa.org, under Research and Reports.
NFPA, publisher of the National Electrical Code, offers the following tips for proper use of portable generators:
n Generators should be operated in well-ventilated locations outdoors away from all doors, windows and vent openings.
n The generator should be located so that exhaust fumes cannot enter the home through windows, doors or other building openings.
n Do not refuel the generator while it is running. Turn the generator off and let it cool down before refueling.
n Never store fuel for your generator in your home. Gasoline and other flammable liquids should be stored outside of living areas in properly-labeled safety containers. They should be stored away from any fuel-burning appliance such as a gas hot water heater.
n Plug appliances directly into the generator or use a heavy duty outdoor-rated extension cord. Make sure the cord is free of cuts or tears and that the plug has all three prongs, especially a grounding pin. Do not try to power the house wiring by plugging the generator into a wall outlet.
n If you must connect the generator to the house wiring to power appliances, have a qualified electrician install a properly rated transfer switch in accordance with the NEC and all applicable state and local electrical codes.
