Carbon monoxide poses a serious health threat. It is a toxic gas that can build up in homes and cause death to the occupants, but it is difficult to detect because it is odorless, tasteless and invisible. Fortunately, as a homeowner in Texas, there are steps you can take to protect yourself, your family and your guests from carbon monoxide poisoning.
According to WebMD, when you inhale too much carbon monoxide, it takes the place of the oxygen in your bloodstream, cutting off the supply to your vital organs. While no one is safe from carbon monoxide poisoning, certain people are more susceptible, meaning that it takes a smaller amount to harm them. These vulnerable groups include people with heart disease or lung conditions, pregnant women and infants.
Carbon monoxide results from the burning of fossil fuels. You can reduce your risk of carbon monoxide poisoning by ensuring that any appliance in your home that burns fuel is always in good repair, including heaters, furnaces and generators. You can also install carbon monoxide detectors. These work similarly to smoke detectors in that they set off an alarm to alert you to the presence of carbon monoxide. If possible, you should connect all the carbon monoxide detectors in your house together so that they will all go off even if only one detects the gas. You should also keep fresh batteries in your detectors and test them once a month to ensure you are getting full protection.
The information in this article is not intended as legal advice but provided for educational purposes only.