Carbon Monoxide dangers

You Can’t See it, Hear it, or Smell it…But it’s There, All Right. And the Worst Thing You Can Do is Ignore it! Every year, hundreds of people die from carbon monoxide poisoning, and thousands more become seriously ill. So here’s a quick primer on CO causes, how to minimize their effects, and why you should install a CO detector today! Carbon monoxide is a natural byproduct of appliances and power tools that burn fuels like gas, oil, kerosene, wood, or charcoal. Breathing low levels of CO can cause shortness of breath, mild nausea, and headaches. At higher levels of inhalation, CO can cause drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, and confusion. At the extreme? Loss of consciousness and death. PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM CO POISONING Any tool or appliance that is not adequately vented and maintained can be a potential source of CO, including: So the idea is to prevent CO poisoning from reaching dangerous levels in the first place…and here are a few simple steps to help you accomplish just that: • Have your heating system, chimney and flue inspected and cleaned by a qualified technician every year. • Don’t operate gasoline-powered engines in confined areas. • Choose vented appliances whenever possible. • Install a carbon monoxide detector with an audible alarm in your home and garage. ABOUT CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS If you’re planning to purchase a CO detector – or even if you already own one – check to see that it carries the UL (Underwriters Laboratories) label, a long-term warranty, and that it’s easy to self-test and reset. Should your CO detector alarm suddenly go off: • Check for symptoms of poisoning. • Should you find any, get everyone out of the house and seek medical attention for those who require it. • Otherwise, ventilate your home with fresh air, turn off all potential sources of CO, including your heating system and water heater, etc. • Have a qualified technician inspect your fuel-burning appliances and chimneys to determine why the alarm sounded in the first place. Today, Aux Mechanical is pleased to offer you a $50 discount – with the coupon below -- to thoroughly inspect your home and advice you on the best way to prevent and detect unhealthy levels of CO emissions.

Home Fire Safety

After 10 Years, Trust Us: You Won’t Like the Odds. Why the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends you replace all fire detectors after no more than 10 years. Smoke detectors are one of the most important safety features in your home. Properly installed, they serve as a built-in early warning system to allow you and your family to escape fire-inflicted bodily harm. With that comforting thought comes a major responsibility. And that, simply stated, is to make sure your fire detectors are prepared to do the job they were built for…without fail. Other than routine battery checks and replacement, the NFPA recommends that you replace all smoke detectors after 10 years. Here’s why: • On average, 3% of all smoke detectors fail each year; • After 10 years, a smoke detector is 30% likely to fail; • After 15 years, the likelihood of failure are 50%; • After 30 years, studies show, it’s a virtual guarantee that a smoke detector will fail. Are you the super cautious type? Then replace your smoke detectors as often as you feel necessary But 10 years, says the NFPA, is a reasonable standard to help us live by. And we happen to agree. Just how great is the risk from fire? On a yearly basis, over 3,200 people throughout the country lose their lives from residential fires. As far as we’re concerned, that’s 3,200 too many. So here are some additional home safety tips from the professionals at Aux Plumbing, Heating, Cooling,and Electrical. • In-home safety can be enhanced by as much as 80% when you install an automatic fire sprinkler system along with smoke detectors. • Smoke detectors should be placed in all hallways leading to sleeping quarters. If your home has more than one level, install a smoke detector on each level near the stairs. • Let’s dispense with a popular myth: pressing the test button on your smoke detector is not a valid test of whether or not it’s still working. All that tells you is that the unit still has power. It’s far more important to test the smoke detector’s sensor. And to do that, we recommend you purchase SMOKE CHECK (by Some Safeguard)…it’s a non-toxic, smoke-like substance that tests the sensor, electronics and power source all at the same time. • If you even suspect there’s a fire in progress, feel the bedroom door with the back of your hand before you attempt to exit. Then, crawl out to stay below the smoke. As you can see, preventing fire – or, knowing how to respond in case of fire – is everyone’s business. Ours included! That’s why Aux Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, and Electrical is pleased to offer you a $50 discount on a fire prevention project – including smoke detector or sprinkler system installation – with the coupon below.