Heat Your Home Safely This Winter

While our winters here in Las Vegas are on the mild end comparatively, our heaters are working overtime to keep our homes warm at all hours of the day. Households across the Las Vegas Valley are and running the heat to stay warm. This being said, the late fall and winter months are also peak time for accidental deaths caused by carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. While this topic is not-so-fun to discuss, it is one we should be mindful of and warrants addressing, particularly this time of year.

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that is extremely poisonous and can kill within minutes. In the United States each year, nearly 500 people die while as many as 22,000 visit emergency rooms for exposure, primarily from poorly-maintained heating systems or gas-powered generators used for heat or power during storms.

Here are a five steps you can take to ensure the safety of your home during the winter months and prevent carbon monoxide poisoning in your home:

• Have any fuel-burning home heating appliances (furnace, chimney, water heater, etc.) checked by an HVAC professional every year to ensure proper function.
• Have your chimney checked or cleaned every year, as they can be blocked by debris, which can cause carbon monoxide buildup.
• Take precaution to never burn anything in a stove of fireplace if it is not vented.
• Install carbon monoxide detectors on every level of your home and outside bedroom areas.
• Keep any generators outside, far from any windows or doors. Do not store in the garage.

In addition to carbon monoxide risks, space heaters should also be handled with extra care to prevent unintentional fires. Be sure to keep the space heater at least three feet away from anything that can burn. Be sure to have working smoke alarms on every level of your home, outside room areas and inside each bedroom as well.

Celebrating 30 years, Right Now Air has been providing superior heating and cooling services to our clients throughout the Las Vegas Valley. We are truly thankful for the relationships we’ve built and established since that time and continue to consider our clients as our most valuable asset.

A well maintained heating system is the best way to keep you and your loved ones safe and in the best of health. Be sure that your system is up to date and well-maintained all year long and especially during the cold winter months. Call us today at (702) 362-6161 for any inquiries you have surrounding your HVAC unit.

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