Check Carbon Monoxide Detectors Too As Clocks Fall Back

By Carl Saiontz
Posted November 4, 2013

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Over the past weekend, we all rolled back our clocks on Saturday night and received multiple reminders that we should also check to make sure that our fire alarms are in working order. However, it is equally important that individuals make sure they have a functioning carbon monoxide detector in their home as well!

With the colder weather that is now hitting much of the country, the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning increases nationwide, as consumers turn on heaters, light furnaces and fireplaces, use generators or take other steps to keep warn. A functioning detector can be crucial in saving lives if a gas leak should occur, since carbon monoxide lacks any smell or other irritating factor to allow individuals to detect its presence.

Carbon monoxide is often referred to as the “silent killer”, since it is an invisible, odorless gas that can cause serious injury or wrongful death very quickly. It can interfere with the body’s ability to supply oxygen to vital organs, including the brain, often leaving individuals exposed for prolonged periods of time to severe side effects from carbon monoxide poisoning, including potential brain damage.

Initial carbon monoxide exposure symptoms may be mistaken for the flu or other illness, resulting in prolonged exposure after the first signs appear, such as:

• Headaches
• Nausea
• Light Headedness
• Flu-Like Symptoms

However, with a working carbon monoxide detector, occupants of a building can be alerted before CO exposure reaches harmful levels and can vacate the building while first responders determine the cause for the carbon monoxide leak.

Carbon Monoxide Lawyers

The use of carbon monoxide detectors can save lives and prevent serious injuries. The attorneys at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. investigate potential injury lawsuits for carbon monoxide exposure nationwide, where the poisoning could have been prevented with the exercise of reasonable care by another person or company. Many of these devastating and catastrophic cases could have been avoided if a carbon monoxide monitor were present in the home to alert occupants to the gas leak.