Health Department urges snow removal from vents
Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is more of a threat during the winter months because houses are sealed and snow pack may block vents.
Mike Weibel, public information officer for Bear River Health Deptartment (BRHD), said CO poisoning is a real threat in Cache Valley, especially during the cold winter months when homes do not receive as much ventilation as in the summer.
Another threat, Weibel said, is excessive snow pack blocking roof vents.
“Furnaces, water heaters and plumbing all have ventilation needs, but the vents often hug the roof,” Weibel said. “When big storms hit those vents can be blocked. They are only a hazard for a day or two, until the vents produce heat to melt the snow, but it still is a problem.”
Weibel said the BRHD had not considered the possibility of snow blocking vents until one of the worker’s father-in-law’s CO detectors alerted him of the problem. After researching on the World Wide Web, Weibel said they mostly just relied on common sense to determine the problem.
CO is a colorless, odorless and poisonous gas which interferes with the blood’s ability to carry oxygen, according to the Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine.
Symptoms of CO poisoning include headache, fatigue, nausea and dizziness and may be mistaken for the flu. Small children, infants and unborn babies are especially at risk for poisoning, Weibel said.
CO is the leading cause of accidental poisoning in the United States, according to the encyclopedia.
According to The Journal of the American Medical Association, 1,500 Americans die each year from accidental exposure to CO, and another 2,300 from intentional exposure (suicide). An additional 10,000 people seek medical attention after exposure to CO and recover.
Furnaces and water heaters are common sources of CO in homes and can present a hazard if not installed correctly, Weibel said. The best way to detect if there is a problem is to invest in a CO detector.
“Most people in Cache Valley have smoke detectors, but very few have CO detectors,” Weibel said.
Already this winter, CO poisoning has sent a Smithfield family to the hospital, Weibel said.
Liz Hunsaker, fire marshal of the Logan City Fire Department, said there have been 19 CO calls since September, although she is unsure