Fire department encourages safe home heating practices

Did you enjoy our relatively warm, dry autumn in central Iowa?

It’s likely you’ve noticed how much colder it has seemed over the past few days. With so many Jasper County residents firing up their home heating systems for the first time this season, Newton Fire Chief Jarrod Wellik reminds the public to be aware of a danger that isn’t discussed often.

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless toxic gas that can lead to symptoms like headaches, nausea and fatigue. The symptoms are similar to the flu, only the symptoms typically go away upon leaving the environment.

Winter is the peak season for carbon monoxide poisoning, since people spend more of their time indoors in buildings heated by natural gas, propane, wood stoves or fireplaces. Victims often suffer from the symptoms and don’t realize what is happening.

Wellik said more than 500 Americans die each year due to unintentional carbon monoxide poisonings, and nationally, there are about 15,000 visits to emergency rooms annually. People age 65 or older are especially vulnerable to unintentional poisoning due to their high occurrence of pre-existing medical conditions.

If carbon monoxide poisoning is suspected, move the victim outside to fresh air immediately, and get them to an emergency room or call 911. If you are the one that is sick, you should not drive. Carbon monoxide poisoning can usually be found by a simple blood test done at a hospital soon after exposure.

Here is a list of tips and dos and don’ts from Wellik regarding carbon monoxide:

• Install a carbon monoxide detector. While CO alarms can save lives, fewer than one third of American homes have them installed.

• Furnaces, fireplaces, water heaters and other heat producing items that use fuel or wood must be vented and working properly in order to prevent the build up of carbon monoxide.

• Have a heating professional inspect, clean, and adjust all fireplaces, wood stoves, gas appliances and chimneys/vents every fall, before the start of home heating season.

• Purchase gas appliances that vent their fumes to the outside. Have them installed by a heating professional.

• Read and follow all of the instructions that accompany any fuel-burning devices.

• Make sure that your car, truck, motor home and/or boat has a working, airtight exhaust system. Repair exhaust leaks immediately.

• Pay attention to symptoms (headache, dizziness, tiredness and/or a sick feeling in your stomach), especially if more than one person is feeling sick.

• Don’t ever cook or heat with a grill indoors — even if you put it inside a fireplace.

• Don’t run vehicles in the garage — even if the door is open. Carbon monoxide can accumulate quickly and enter your home.

• Don’t sit in a parked vehicle with the engine running for a long period of time.

• Don’t use fuel-powered machines (mowers, trimmers, snow blowers, chain saws) or tools (welders, pumps, compressors, generators, high pressure washers, concrete cutting saws) in buildings or semi-enclosed spaces.

• Don’t use gas stoves or ovens to heat your home.

• Don’t use an un-vented gas or kerosene space heater.

• Don’t close the damper to the fireplace unless the fire is completely out and the coals are cold.

• Don’t ride in covered pickup truck beds or in campers, caps or toppers. Air moving around the vehicle can draw exhaust in.

Any questions about carbon monoxide poisoning can be directed to the Newton Fire Department at 641-792-3347.

Contact Jason W. Brooks at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or jbrooks@newtondailynews.com