Winter’s coming!! Keep warm and SAFE with Click a Fix’s guide to Carbon Monoxide

We can’t see it, taste it or smell it but it can kill quickly and with no warning. Unsafe gas appliances produce a highly poisonous gas called carbon monoxide (CO). It can cause death as well as serious long term health problems such as brain damage.

Remember the six main symptoms to look out for:
1. headaches
2. dizziness
3. nausea
4. breathlessness
5. collapse
6. loss of consciousness
Being aware of the symptoms could be a Life Saver

Carbon monoxide symptoms are similar to flu, food poisoning, viral infections and simply tiredness. That’s why it’s quite common for people to mistake this very dangerous poisoning for something else.

Other signs that could point to carbon monoxide poisoning:
Symptoms only occur when we are at home
Symptoms disappear or get better when we leave home and come back on return
Others in the household are experiencing symptoms (including pets) and they appear at a similar time

What should we do if we experience any symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning?
Get fresh air immediately. Open doors and windows, turn off gas appliances and leave the house
See a doctor immediately or go to hospital - let them know that it's suspected carbon monoxide poisoning. They can do a blood or breath test to check.
If there is immediate danger, call the Gas Emergency Helpline
Get a Gas Safe registered engineer to inspect the gas appliances and flues to see if there is a dangerous problem.
Don’t assume gas appliances are safe: get a Gas Safe registered gas engineer to do a check. This is the only safe way to prevent everybody from incurring serious illness or death due to carbon monoxide exposure.

What is carbon monoxide?
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a highly poisonous substance produced by the incomplete burning of gas and Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG).
This happens when a gas appliance has been incorrectly fitted, badly repaired or poorly maintained. It can also occur if flues, chimneys or vents are blocked.
Oil and solid fuels such as coal, wood, petrol and oil can also produce carbon monoxide. Those with open fires ensure a regular cleaning programme is done.

What is carbon monoxide poisoning?
Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs when we breathe in even small amounts of the gas.
When we breathe in carbon monoxide, it gets into our blood stream and prevents the red blood cells from carrying oxygen. Without oxygen, our body tissue and cells die.
Levels that do not kill can cause serious harm to health when breathed in over a long period of time. Long term effects of carbon monoxide poisoning include Paralysis and brain damage. Such long term effects occur because many people are unaware of unsafe gas appliances and subsequent gas leaks.

How is Carbon Monoxide poisoning caused?
CO is so dangerous because it binds very tightly to haemoglobin in the red blood cells and so reduces the amount of oxygen which can be carried in the bloodstream. Haemoglobin is the molecule in the blood that oxygen binds to in order to be carried around the body. The binding of CO to haemoglobin is actually more than 200 times stronger than for oxygen, so the CO effectively takes up all the space on the haemoglobin. In addition, CO interferes with the delivery of oxygen from haemoglobin into the body tissues.
These effects severely reduce the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood and limit the availability of oxygen to the body, with the brain and heart being particularly vulnerable. This can lead to anoxic brain injury. Pregnant women and the foetus are particularly susceptible to the toxic effects of CO.

How do we avoid a carbon monoxide leak in the home?
The home may show signs of carbon monoxide. Any one of the following could be a sign that there is carbon monoxide in our home.
The flame on your cooker should be crisp and blue. Lazy yellow or orange flames mean you need to get the cooker checked
Dark staining around or on appliances
Pilot lights that frequently blow out
Increased condensation inside windows
If you have a faulty appliance in your home, it could lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. Get gas appliances checked to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.

Why should we get a carbon monoxide alarm?
Because carbon monoxide has no taste, smell or colour, Click a Fix strongly recommends we fit an audible carbon monoxide alarm in your home.
While an alarm will alert you to carbon monoxide in the home, it is no substitute for having an annual gas safety check and regular servicing by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Before purchasing a carbon monoxide alarm, always make sure it is marked to EN 50291. It should also have the British Standards' Kitemark or another European approval organisation's mark on it. Follow the alarm manufacturer’s instructions on siting, testing and replacing the alarm.
You are particularly at risk from carbon monoxide poisoning while sleeping, as you may not be aware of early carbon monoxide symptoms until it’s too late. Do not use the ‘black spot’ detectors that change colour when carbon monoxide is present. These will not make a sound to wake you up if the poisonous gas is present while you are sleeping.

You can find carbon monoxide detectors at our online store:

“We repair your home when it’s poorly. We maintain it so it stays healthy”

Click a Fix is a home repairs and maintenance company focusing on the essential concerns of keeping a home healthy. We provide four main services; plumbing, electrics, gas and general home repairs. Of these four services Click a Fix has adopted the Pareto Principle to concentrate on the smaller types of repairs, which are more commonly required. Click a Fix's aim is to provide a service with 80% of the work available to be booked and paid for online, bringing convenience and assurity on price to the customer and supporting the brand identity to just 'click a fix'. We keep things simple and jargon free to improve the customer experience.

Click a Fix

DBH Serviced Business Centre
Melton Court, Gibson Lane, Hull.

Hull, Yorkshire - HU14 3HH

United Kingdom

www.clickafix.uk.com

This release was published on openPR.