Carbon Monoxide

 After inhaling as little as that, it is likely that you will collapse unconscious, fall into a coma and die shortly afterwards. And all of this takes place within 2 – 3 minutes. Of course this is the worst case scenario, but even when exposed to lower concentrations can cause serious harm. However all of this can be easily prevented, so why risk the lives of your loved ones?
One of the main reasons for these kinds of accidents occurring is due to a lack of gas appliance (boiler, cooker, fire, water heater, etc.) regular servicing. It is always better to prevent, rather than having to face serious consequences or having to pay extra for the repairs later on. It is clearly understandable that due to the current economic climate people may be careful with what they spend their money on, but it is exceptionally important to stress enough about the importance of servicing any appliance that burns fossil fuels. It’s your choice whether you cafe the consequences or not.
Carbon monoxide alarms are also something that every household must have. It is no substitute to having service being carried out on all your appliances, but they can provide you with that little extra protection. CO alarms are usually either battery operated or mains supply with battery backup, which tend to last quite a long time. These can often be combined with other sorts of safety devices, such as smoke alarms. Other types of alarms exist, such as ones that change colour when in presence of CO, but due to them not emitting any sound they are not recommended.
There are also many signs to look out for that may prove to be very significant. These include checking whether there has been a change of colour in some flames, for example from blue to orange/yellow. Also checking whether there have been an increase of condensation on windows and any sooty stains appearing on or above the appliances may be signs of danger.
So remember to have regular gas appliance servicing, invest in an alarm and keep your eyes peeled. Stay safe and don’t leave it to chance, it is not worth losing someone to something that can easily be prevented.