A person can be poisoned by a small amount of Carbon Monoxide (CO) over a longer period of time or by a large amount of CO over a shorter amount of time. Because the only way to know if there is carbon monoxide present in a home is to have a detector, Minnesota State Statute has required that a CO detector be installed within ten feet of every room lawfully used for sleeping purposes since 2008.
Crookston Firefighter Chris Klawitter explains that CO is known as the invisible killer, making detectors an important household safety item. “Carbon Monoxide is often called an invisible killer,” said Klawitter. “It is odorless, tasteless, you can’t see it, can’t smell it, you don’t know its there until you have it. That’s why it is important to have the proper alarm equipment. Carbon Monoxide is produced when any carbon-based fuel burns – gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas, propane, fuel oil, methane – all of which will produce carbon monoxide when burned incompletely. A lot of sources in your home can create it – your furnace, other heating sources, a gas range, your car. So, to be safe we recommend, in fact, it is the law you have carbon monoxide detectors within 10-feet of all bedrooms. If bedrooms are at different ends of the house or multiple floors you may need multiple detectors.”
Klawitter said that if the CO detector goes off in your house you should get outside or go to a neighbor’s house and call the fire department to check your house for CO. “If you do have an alarm that goes off, please give the fire department a call,” said Klawitter. “We will come out and check it out. We have monitors to see if there is actually carbon monoxide or if it is a detector that is malfunctioning or at the end of its life. All Carbon Monoxide detectors do have a life of five to seven years. Test them every month and replace the batteries twice a year when you change your clocks. If your detector goes off, go to a source of fresh air – outside or the neighbors. Call the fire department and we will check it out. Make sure your vents are kept clean. This time of year, when we get snow it can pile up and plug your vents, which can be an issue even if your furnace is working fine. Have all your heating and cooling equipment check and serviced annually by professionals to make sure they are operating properly. I can’t stress enough to have Carbon Monoxide detectors that are up to date and working. And if they go off, please call the fire department.”
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