Health experts warn of the dangers of carbon monoxide as temps drop
Common household appliances like furnaces, portable generators, or fireplaces can produce carbon monoxide.
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As temperatures drop and the winter storm approaches, many New Jersey residents are turning up their heat. But health experts say that winter weather can increase the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Common household appliances, like furnaces, portable generators or fireplaces can produce carbon monoxide.
Health officials say that every year in the United States, unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning sends more than 100,000 people to the emergency room.
Dr. Jason Milk, with the Cleveland Clinic, says it is important to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide exposure as temperatures drop.
MORE: News 12 New Jersey Weather Center
“The emergency departments have the ability of how to measure your carbon monoxide levels, and the antidote for carbon monoxide exposure is eliminating the source, meaning getting away from the risk, and then oxygen is the therapy,” Milk says.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that it is also important to use a battery-powered or battery-back-up carbon monoxide detector in homes.
The CDC says the detectors should be installed near every sleeping area.
