Your Furnace & Carbon Monoxide Safety

What You Need to Know about This Poisonous Gas

At Economy Oil, we pride ourselves on providing our Hudson Valley customers with quality heating oil at the best possible price. We also care about the safety of our customers. If you have a furnace in your home, it’s important for the health and safety of your family that you understand the risks carbon monoxide (CO) poses and how you can mitigate those risks.

Know the Risks

Carbon monoxide kills hundreds of Americans every year. It is an odorless and colorless gas that is produced when any fuel is burned. Unfortunately, it’s also poisonous. Because furnaces burn gas or heating oil, they produce carbon monoxide when they’re running. Problems arise when that carbon monoxide is allowed to build up inside the home due to poor ventilation or malfunctioning equipment. Exposure to carbon monoxide can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning, which in turn can cause any of the following: illness, disorientation, and even death.

Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Even if you take every precaution, it’s important to be able to recognize the symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure and poisoning. The longer the exposure to carbon monoxide, the worse the symptoms are likely to be.

• Limited exposure to carbon monoxide can cause flu-like symptoms.
• Moderate exposure to carbon monoxide can lead to severe headache, drowsiness, and disorientation.
• Extended exposure to carbon monoxide can cause unconsciousness, cardiac arrest, and death.

Carbon monoxide poisoning is a medical emergency. If you think someone may have been exposed to carbon monoxide, get them into fresh air as quickly as possible and get them to an emergency medical care facility or call 911 immediately. All fuel-burning appliances in the home should be inspected until the cause of the leak is identified and addressed.

Visit the Mayo Clinic website for additional information on carbon monoxide poisoning.

Safety Measures

There are a few simple but very important things you can do to protect your family from carbon monoxide poisoning. Remember, you won’t be able to see or smell it if it’s filling the rooms of your home.

1. Make sure that your furnace receives a yearly inspection by a trained professional. They will look out for leaks and other potential problems that could put you and your family at risk and address them.
2. There should be carbon monoxide detectors installed on every floor of your home and near every bedroom. Check them monthly to make sure they’re working. Replace the batteries twice a year and the units themselves every 5 to 7 years (or according to the manufacturer’s instructions).

The Power to Save

At Economy Oil, we care about your family’s safety. We also care pride ourselves on giving our customers the power to save. Economy Oil is a reputable heating oil provider. We offer the same high-quality heating oil our competitors do, we simply do it at an unbeatable price. Enjoy same-day or next-day delivery as well as no hidden fees, service fees, or contracts.

Our service area includes Orange, Sullivan, and Ulster Counties. Click here to see if we serve your neighborhood.

Contact us today for quality heating oil in the Hudson Valley at an unbeatable price.