In Monitoring Services, Safety, Security Related News

One evening around 9:00 my family was home relaxing when an alarm sounded.  As I was searching for the source of the alarm I received a call from Seacoast Security’s Central Station.  As per procedure, Seacoast Security received an alarm from my residence indicating the presence of high concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO) gas inside my home. The monitor called to check on us and to let me know they had contacted the fire department who arrived within 15 minutes.

All three members of my family were home including our two dogs – the only hint of danger came from the alarms. My home was unsafe!

Firefighters used hand-held devices and learned high levels of CO were present in my home. At first, it looked like a gas fireplace was to blame for the problem. The fireplace was turned off and the home aired out. Once CO levels were back to normal, the fire department left and we went to bed thinking all was safe.

At 4 a.m., my in home alarm went off and a monitor from Seacoast Security once again alerted us to dangerous levels of CO gas in our home. The fire department once again confirmed high levels of the deadly gas.

As it turns out, the gas fireplace was not to blame. A faulty furnace vent had been allowing CO to leak into my home. After the furnace was vented correctly and the home aired out again, there were no more alarms. The air was safe to breathe.

We were very fortunate to have CO detectors in our home. The outcome could have been very serious. If you don’t have CO detectors currently in your home you are at risk of this silent killer. Please call a member of my team at 800-654-8800 to learn about how Seacoast Security can help you protect your family from carbon monoxide poisoning as well as other safety risks in your home.

Some additional information about CO poisoning is below for your reference:

The CDC recommends having CO detectors that run on batteries or have a battery back-up, so that they continue to offer protection during power outages. The batteries should be replaced once a year. In addition, chimneys and any appliances that burn gas or oil should be checked annually.

Carbon monoxide (CO), is often called a silent killer because it is a colorless, odorless gas. It’s also a sneaky killer, because it can come from unexpected sources. My family learned this firsthand just last month. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are similar to the flu: headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and weakness.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) says CO is responsible for an average of 72,000 non-fire emergency calls each year. When fuels such as wood, gas, oil or coal are burned, CO is given off as a byproduct. If the gas is trapped inside a home or vehicle, it can quickly reach dangerous levels. CO binds to red blood cells, blocking oxygen and causing suffocation. The symptoms can be difficult to recognize, which is why CO detectors are a key part of your family’s security system.


I wanted to pass on a story of an event that happened to me this past month.  We were lucky thanks to my alarms. Please take a minute to read this. I hope by reading this, it might save your life too.

Stephen

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