Carbon Monoxide Alarms
Carbon monoxide is often referred to as being a ‘silent killer’. This is because the poisonous gas is colourless, odorless and tasteless, so it is very difficult to identify. Carbon monoxide is absorbed into your blood “240 times more easily than oxygen”; it prevents your red blood cells from carrying oxygen around your body. This results in the body cells and tissue dying, as they are starved of the vital oxygen they need to survive. Many people are not fully aware of the necessity of carbon monoxide alarms and having regular boiler services to check for any leaks. However, over 30 people die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning. Children are most vulnerable to carbon monoxide poisoning, as they are smaller and therefore succumb more quickly to the poisonous gas than adults.
Carbon monoxide alarms work in a similar way to smoke alarms, sounding a loud beeping alarm to alert you of any danger so that you can vacate your property. Some carbon monoxide alarms only alert you to a leak by changing colour if they detect the gas. However, these visual alarms are far less effective. If you are asleep, or do not observe the visual change, you can succumb to the fatal gas before you notice anything.
According to a recent survey over 50% of people are unaware of the warning signs of carbon monoxide. These signals include nausea, headaches, feeling dizzy or breathless and losing consciousness. If you notice any one of these warning signs you should immediately turn off any gas appliance and seek fresh air by vacating the building as quickly as possible. Next, go straight to hospital and ask a doctor to check your blood for carbon monoxide traces. You should always make sure that your gas cooker flames are bright blue, rather than orange and yellow. Another warning sign of carbon monoxide leaks is dark staining around your appliances.
To find out more about carbon monoxide alarms or to book a gas boiler service today then please contact Gas Boilers Servicing on……and one of our helpful and friendly engineers will be more than happy to help you.