Check Your Carbon Monoxide Alarms! Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Kills in Fair Weather Too!!

Carbon monoxide is called the "silent killer" because you can't see it or smell it.
Carbon monoxide detectors cost less than $50 at any big box store, and are simple to install; they plug into any outlet and do not need to be positioned high like smoke detectors. There are even some devices that detect both smoke and carbon monoxide that are found to be very effective as well.
In the Spring, with furnaces going off during the day and kicking off again at night, carbon monoxide can build up inside your home without you even knowing it.
Carbon monoxide is produced when fuels such as gas, oil, coal and wood do not burn fully. Burning charcoal, running cars and the smoke from cigarettes also produce carbon monoxide gas.
Gas, oil, coal and wood are sources of fuel used in many household appliances, as well as gas powered grills that are mistakenly left in the ON position and and not ventilated properly.
The main cause of accidental exposure to carbon monoxide (CO) is household appliances, such as cooking and heating devices, which have been damaged, incorrectly installed or badly maintained.
The risk of exposure to carbon monoxide from portable devices may also be higher in caravans, boats and mobile homes.
Other possible causes of carbon monoxide poisoning include:

• blocked flues and chimneys – this can stop carbon monoxide escaping, allowing it to reach dangerous levels.
• burning fuel in an enclosed or unventilated space – for example, running a car engine, petrol-powered generator or barbecue inside a garage, or a faulty boiler in an enclosed kitchen
• faulty or blocked car exhausts – a leak or a blockage in the exhaust pipe, such as after heavy snowfall, could lead to a build-up of carbon monoxide
• paint fumes – some cleaning fluids and paint removers contain methylene chloride (dichloromethane), which can cause carbon monoxide poisoning if breathed in
• smoking shisha pipes indoors – shisha pipes burn charcoal and tobacco, which can lead to a build-up of carbon monoxide in enclosed or unventilated rooms

Just because the winter is over, does not mean the dangers of Carbon Monoxide poisoning are over. Check your chimneys for debris like birds nests and it's a good idea to have them cleaned after the long Winter burning season.