Carbon monoxide poisoning is the number one cause of deaths related to poison in the United States, and most of those occur in homes with unsuspecting people. Do not let your family die by carbon monoxide poisoning. This article is going to help you in protecting your family from carbon monoxide.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas or liquid that kills without warning. It comes from water heaters, generators, cars, and stoves. Carbon monoxide comes in either liquid or gas and will produce a violet flame when lit. Carbon monoxide kills you when the poison bonds to your hemoglobin where oxygen usually bonds, which causes the oxygen to be cut from your heart, brain, and other organs.

So, how do you protect your family from carbon monoxide? A carbon monoxide detector alerts you to any problems with the poison before you suffer any of the symptoms. The detector simply beeps to alert you of excess poison in the air, which gives you time to exit the house without inhaling the deadly chemical. Once you have been warned of carbon monoxide in your home, you will need to ventilate your home and find the source of the leak.

If you are looking to buy a carbon monoxide detector, you should purchase an UL standard brand. You can purchase the detector at most home improvement stores and some department stores. If you are in need of a smoke detector, there are carbon monoxide/smoke detectors available.

Once you have the detector you need to install it five feet above the floor because it is lighter than air, so it will rise. You should not install it near any gas producing device. The best place to install the detector is in your sleeping area, so that you are able to hear the warning and it will wake you up.

If you do not have a carbon monoxide detector, it is important that you know what the symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure are. You will experience blurred vision, confusion, light-headedness, nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness, severe headaches, and eventually unconsciousness. Elderly, pregnant women, and children, or anyone with respiratory difficulties will be affected quicker.

It is important that you do everything you can when protecting your family from carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that kills with no warning. You will either need to know the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, or purchase a carbon monoxide detector which will warn your family.