members suffer from flu-like symptoms that don’t disappear but
improve when they leave home for extended periods of time.
Be Aware of the Warning Signs of Carbon Monoxide:
Indicators of Possible CO Leaks
• Streaks of carbon or soot around the service door of your fuel-
burning appliances.
• A yellow or orange flame may indicate a problem with natural gas
appliances.
• Excessive rusting on flue pipes or appliance jackets.
• Loose or missing furnace panel.
• Moisture collecting on the windows and walls of furnace rooms.
• Loose or disconnected vent/chimney, fireplace or appliance.
• Small amounts of water leaking from the base of the chimney,
vent or flue pipe.
• Rust on the portion of the vent pipe visible from outside your
home.
• The absence of a draft in your chimney (indicating blockage).
• Fallen soot from the fireplace chimney.
• Loose, damaged or discoloured bricks on your chimney.
Hidden Causes of CO Emission
• Internal appliance damage or malfunctioning components
• Improper burner adjustment
• Hidden blockage or damage in chimneys
Determine if anyone in the household is at high-risk for CO poison-
ing:
Many cases of reported CO poisoning indicate that while victims are
aware they are not well, they become so disoriented they are unable
to save themselves by either exiting the building or calling for assis-
tance.
You should take extra precautions to protect high-risk persons from
CO exposure because they may experience ill effects from CO at
levels that would not ordinarily affect a healthy adult. Be sure to
check infants or small children in the home for signs of possible CO
poisoning because they might have trouble explaining their symp-
toms. Infants and children are more susceptible to CO poisoning
than a healthy adult.
What You Should Know Before the Alarm Sounds
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