Unfortunately, statistics show that unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning affects many Americans. According to theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC), more than 400 people die each year from this illness. In addition, over 20,000 people have to go to the emergency room after being exposed to the toxic gas. One of the causes of this illness is problems with your fireplace and chimney system, which is why you need to have your chimney professionally swept and inspected at least once a year. If you live in the Louisville area, All American Chimney Service can help you avoid carbon monoxide leaks in your home from the fireplace and chimney with our professional chimney maintenance services. We would like to tell you a bit more about carbon monoxide poisoning.
What are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning?
If you have low levels of carbon monoxide in your blood, you will feel like you have the flu. Symptoms include headaches, stuffy nose, coughing, dizziness, and nausea. They are also similar to the common cold. This makes it difficult to diagnose carbon monoxide poisoning. If you are still suffering from these symptoms after two weeks, ask your doctor to test your blood for carbon monoxide. Prolonged exposure to this poisonous gas can lead to very serious health issues, including organ damage and death.
How can carbon monoxide leak into my home from my fireplace or chimney?
Carbon monoxide is produced every time fuel is burned. This means cars, trucks, grills, lanterns, furnaces, stoves, and fireplaces all produce it. When your fireplace and chimney is working properly, this toxic gas is exhausted from your home. However, different types of chimney issues can cause carbon monoxide to leak back into your home. Examples of these problems include a cracked chimney liner and a blocked chimney flue.
Have a Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA)-certified chimney sweep from All American Chimney Service inspect and sweep your chimney! We ensure that your chimney liner is in good shape and that there is no debris blocking the flue. You can trust us to do a thorough job of making sure every part of your chimney and fireplace system is working properly. Your safety is our top priority. If we find any problems, we will give you photographic evidence of the damage. Also, a written estimate of the necessary repairs to make sure you will not have carbon monoxide leaking into your home.
To protect yourself and your family, All American Chimney Service highly recommends installing carbon monoxide detector alarms in your home! Just in case a problem causes this toxic gas to leak into your living space.Contact ustoday to schedule an appointment for your annual chimney sweeping and inspection to ensure your safety.