We talk a lot about water damage restoration and how to prevent water damage from happening.  We discuss fire prevention and other ways to protect your home from dangerous molds and home emergencies.  But it is also important to remember the dangers of carbon monoxide.  As we move into the fall season, and soon the winter, there are a number of things to consider in order to prevent carbon monoxide from building up in your home.

Though a bit outside of our normal wheelhouse in terms of the services we offer at Restore Pro,   services tie in with this topic more than you’d think.  For instance, if your chimney isn’t cleaned regularly, it can become damaged and cause carbon monoxide from the fire to back up into your home as well as pose a fire hazard to you and your family.  A water heater that isn’t properly maintained can rust out and flood your home while emitting dangerous CO levels as well if not properly vented.

At Restore Pro, your safety and well-being is our number one goal. So let’s take a look at some ways to keep your household safe from carbon monoxide.

• Schedule annual furnace inspections—Professional HVAC companies can inspect your furnace and test for leaks while repairing any issues that may be present.
• Arrange a chimney inspection and cleaning—this will reduce the risk of creosote chimney fires as well as check the flue to ensure it is working properly.
• Follow manufacturer’s directions on portable generators and heaters—misuse of combustion-type machines results in carbon monoxide gasses filling up your home. These items should vent to the outdoors.
• Never use a gas oven or stove as a furnace—when an oven is not vented properly and used incorrectly, the high levels of carbon monoxide will filter into your air and create dangerous, life-threatening conditions.
• Never start or run your vehicle in your garage with the garage door closed—CO levels quickly build up from a car’s exhaust.

We’ve seen the damage and destruction that can occur from a fire and from the water used on a fire.  For your safety, we encourage you to properly maintain your fire alarms and to test them frequently.  Fire and smoke alarms save thousands of lives every day.  Just as important is a carbon monoxide alarm.  Because CO gasses are undetectable to our human senses, it makes sense to add a CO alarm to your arsenal of safety items.  With proper warning you’ll know if a problem exists in your home and be able to get out as soon as possible.

At Restore Pro, our Fire and Water Damage Restoration teams can easily repair and restore your home from the after effects of a fire or water emergency, but there is little we can do to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning other than to educate.  We want you safe!  We can handle the repairs to your home that are a result of fire or water, make it your job to protect yourself from dangerous carbon monoxide levels.

To learn more about our Water Damage Restoration services, give us a call at 1-800-847-0114 or visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/RestorePro911.