Commonly referred to as the “Silent Killer,” carbon monoxide is colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that can be produced by furnaces, appliances, and many other common items when not properly ventilated. Typically, items such as cars or ovens are of no concern, but under the right circumstances, they can produce deadly amounts of carbon monoxide gas. For example, accidentally leaving your oven on can produce carbon monoxide gas. Even if you are careful about the things you can control, there have been many deaths due to factors that the deceased could not control.Carbon monoxide kills you by slowly replacing the oxygen in your blood with carbon monoxide. Your body needs oxygen to function, and without oxygen, your body’s cells will begin to die and your organs will fail. This is what’s known as carbon monoxide poisoning, and it can be very deadly. Carbon monoxide can fill a space in your house without you even noticing and the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning can be subtle at first, so it’s incredibly important that you are able to recognize them before it’s too late. Being able to recognize the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning will save your life. If you notice these symptoms are affecting you, you should seek medical attention immediately.
