(HealthDayNews) -- During the cold winter months, people use a variety of heat sources to stay warm. Many of these are potential sources of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.
About 67 percent of American households use gas, wood, kerosene, propane, or coal as a major heating source, according to the Home Safety Council. All of these sources release carbon monoxide when burned.
Here are some safety tips:
- Avoid using a cooking stove to heat your home.
- Don't use a gas grill inside your home or in a closed garage.
- Keep gas appliances properly adjusted and serviced.
- Install at least one smoke alarm and CO detector on every level of your home and near sleeping areas.
- Before each year's cold season, have a trained professional inspect, clean, and tune-up the central heating system and repair any leaks.
