TEXAS – Large swaths of Texas are entering a cold snap the likes of which hasn’t been seen in decades.

Numerous power outages have been reported in several regions of Texas already, and things are only going to deteriorate further this coming weekend and into early next week. 

That raises the potential for people attempting to heat their homes to succumb to carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says carbon monoxide exposures and poisonings occur more often in the fall and winter, when people are more likely to use gas furnaces and heaters. A study found roughly 480 people in the U.S. die each year due to non-fire-related CO poisoning. Another 15,200 people are treated in hospitals for it.

“This study further illustrates that carbon monoxide poisoning is preventable,” said Allison Stock, a toxicologist and one of the authors of the report. “One of the primary ways to prevent carbon monoxide poising is through yearly maintenance of gas-burning home appliances. We recommend having a battery-operated carbon monoxide detector in the home to alert residents of dangerous levels of carbon monoxide. But carbon monoxide detectors are not the primary way to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.”

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas produced when a fossil fuel is burned. It can cause sudden illness and death. So how do you prevent it in your home? The CDC offers the following tips: 

  • Do have your heating system, water heater and any other gas, oil, or coal burning appliances serviced by a qualified technician every year.
  • Do install a battery-operated or battery back-up CO detector in your home. Check or replace the battery when you change the time on your clocks each spring and fall. If the detector sounds leave your home immediately and call 911.
  • Do seek prompt medical help if you suspect CO poisoning and are feeling dizzy, light-headed, or nauseated. 
  • Don’t use a generator, charcoal grill, camp stove, or other gasoline or charcoal-burning device inside your home, basement, or garage or near a window.
  • Don’t run a car or truck inside a garage attached to your house, even if you leave the door open.
  • Don’t burn anything in a stove or fireplace that isn’t vented.
  • Don’t heat your house with a gas oven.
  • Don’t use a generator, pressure washer, or any gasoline-powered engine less than 20 feet from any window, door, or vent. Use an extension cord that is more than 20 feet long to keep the generator at a safe distance.

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