CO Poisoning: It Can Be a Year-Round Concern

CO Poisoning: It Can Be a Year-Round Concern

We tend to think that CO poisoning is a hazard only in the cooler months when the house is closed up tightly and the fireplace and furnace are running. Nothing could be further from the truth, however, because carbon monoxide (CO) knows no season. If you enjoy boating, camping, barbecuing, or have an attached garage, you could be at risk. Carbon monoxide occurs as the result of incomplete combustion of fuels. It's invisible and has no odor. CO replaces oxygen in the blood stream and in high enough quantities, it can be fatal. Since it's undetectable without CO alarms, it's important to avoid situations where it could be present, like:

• At the back of an idling boat. When your boat motor runs, it emits CO. If you're trolling or idling, take care to avoid sitting too long near the motor.

• Barbecuing in the garage. Regardless of the weather, it's never a good idea to barbecue in the garage.

• Using gas-powered lawn equipment like lawn mowers or leaf blowers close to open windows can spew CO into your home.

• Running gas-powered equipment in your garage for any length of time. If your garage is attached to your home, CO poisoning can be a hazard year-round. Unless the connecting door has a tight seal, it can seep into your home. Check the common wall between the garage, as well, and caulk around any pipes, wires or cables entering your home. Inspecting the base and top of the common wall will also reveal small cracks that can bring in CO and other fumes from chemicals you store inside the garage.

• Using tent heaters excessively to stay warm while camping or sitting too close to a campfire.

• Using a gas or propane appliance indoors, without having them inspected periodically by a professional. Ideally, your furnace should be professionally maintained annually.

We at Air Assurance are here to help you avoid CO poisoning. If you'd like to improve your heating system's energy efficiency and safety, please contact us. We've provided trusted HVAC services for the Broken Arrow area for more than 30 years.Normal0falsefalsefalseEN-USX-NONEX-NONE/* Style Definitions */table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;mso-para-margin:0in;mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

Plumbing Problems: Find Yours on This List

Plumbing Problems: Find Yours on This List

There’s no good time to have plumbing problems, and chances are one will strike at the least convenient time possible. If you’re experiencing a problem in your Oklahoma home, you should contact a plumber right away. However, what do you do before the plumber arrives? Browse this list of plumbing problems to see how to immediately handle the situation.

• Smell of natural gas: Evacuate your home immediately without using a phone or any other electrical source, as this could cause a spark. Only call the gas company once you’re safely outside.

• Leak in the yard: Locate the water meter and shut off the valve on the outlet side.

• Leak from an unknown interior location: Until you identify exactly what’s causing the leak, shut off the water to the house. Since a condensate drain overflow could cause the problem, turn the air conditioner up to 82 degrees to minimize operation until the plumber arrives.

• Leak from the water heater: Shut off the inlet valve on the water heater, and turn off the gas or electricity providing power to the water heater.

• Toilet overflowing: Shut off the inlet valve behind the toilet and open the sewer clean-out plug on the outside of your home. Remove any soiled rugs and mop up the mess as best as you can with rags.

• Bubbling sounds from first-floor drains: Do not operate any water fixtures upstairs, since it’s possible a sewer or drain stoppage is what’s causing the problem. Open the sewer clean-out plug outside the home and await a plumber’s instructions.

• Kitchen sink stopped up: If the disposal is broken and the kitchen sink is backed up, open the clean-out plug outside your home and wait for the plumber to arrive.

• Flame or char marks visible on your gas water heater: Shut off the fuel source and discontinue hot water usage until the problem is addressed.

If you’re experiencing these or other plumbing problems, please contact Air Assurance Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing today. We have proudly provided exceptional HVAC services to the Broken Arrow community since 1985.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  Image courtesy of Shutterstock