Checking For Exhaust Fumes to Avoid Poisoning
Carbon monoxide (CO) is actually invisible, and doesn’t have an odor, making it impossible to detect with basic human senses. If your ventilation system, heating, or stove is malfunctioning, CO may be leaking, and you could be breathing it without knowing. Upon breathing in carbon monoxide, it enters your blood stream and prevents red blood cells from transporting oxygen. According to the Mayo Clinic, heart and brain tissue become particularly vulnerable to injury from carbon monoxide poisoning. Fire is not the only risk for carbon monoxide inhalation, as the CDC estimates that between 8,000 and 15,000 people each year are treated or examined for CO poisoning in cases in which a fire did not even occur. What amounts to a check for exhaust fumes could save your life!
The Very Visible Dangers of Invisible CO
As with any indoor contaminant, it is strongly suggested that you have your home or business tested for carbon monoxide. Without testing, dangerous concentrations of CO may have built up in your home, and you wouldn’t detect it until you or a family member became ill. With more than twenty five years in the field of indoor air quality improvement, Environmental Doctor can help you find the best option for your CO testing needs.