NORFOLK, Va. — With another cold weekend ahead, people are going to be turning up the heat. While the warmth can be a relief, it can also be dangerous.
So, before you find yourself in a compromising situation, I want to talk about keeping your family safe by avoiding carbon monoxide poisoning and fires.
The first thing you should do is check your carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors now, and make sure they have batteries.
If, by chance, a storm knocks out power and you have the option to plug in a generator, you want to make sure it is not leaking carbon monoxide.
Having a working detector is the only way to ensure you are safe because carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless. In fact, it is often called the “invisible killer.”
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission:
“An average of nearly 100 consumers die in the U.S. each year from CO poisoning from portable generators, according to CPSC’s latest report on Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Deaths Associated with the Use of Consumer Products. An earlier CPSC report shows that from 2011 through 2021, where race was known, non-Hispanic Black or African Americans accounted for 23 percent of generator-related CO deaths, which is much higher than their share in the U.S. population.”
CPSC says if you have a portable generator, keep it outside at least 20 feet away from your house and direct the exhaust away from the home, while keeping windows and other openings closed in the path of the generator’s exhaust.
If you plan to buy a portable generator this year, get one that has a CO shut off safety feature.
“You can succumb to poison monoxide poisoning quickly and before you even know what is going on. So, you want to make sure that you have a CO detector, a working CO detector, on each level of your home and one outside each sleeping area,” says Nicolette Nye.
Nicolette Nye is with the Consumer Product Safety Commission. During our conversation, we also talked about how dangerous portable heaters can be.
Listen, I understand why using a portable heater is enticing: they are easy to move around and can cost as little as $20.
Just make sure you keep them at least three feet away from beds, clothing, sofas, and anything else that can catch fire.
Also make sure the generator is on a stable surface and they are never left unattended.
“Some things that people sometimes do when the power goes out is, they will bring in a charcoal grill to cook on or heat. You don’t want to do that because charcoal also releases carbon monoxide,” says Nye.
If you can crank the heat, just remember that the higher you put it, the more expensive it is going to be.
Virginia Natural Gas is one company that has several different financial programs that you can take advantage of bill assistance, crisis assistance, the EnergyShare program, and more.
Dominion Energy also offers state fuel assistance, state crisis assistance, EnergyShare heating and more.
You can also call each company directly to see what program works best for your financial situation.
Remember, if you have a consumer issue, maybe a high energy bill or issue with a warranty on your generator, and you want the problem solvers to investigate it email problemsolvers@wtkr.com.
Problem Solvers
