What to know about carbon monoxide exposure and how to prevent it

The recent deaths of a Lisbon man and his wife, likely due to carbon monoxide poisoning, underscored the danger of the colorless, odorless gas.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel talked to experts about what people should know about carbon monoxide.

Maggie Howard Weigel and her husband Gary (Gus) Weigel died on Aug. 14. Waukesha County Sheriff's Lt. Nick Wenzel said that a leak found in the home's water heater vent pipe likely caused the carbon monoxide exposure.

Carbon monoxide poisoning is created when this "toxic gas" is burning and "not venting property," said Alison Trouy, a spokesperson for We Energies.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, around 500 people go to the emergency room each year due to carbon monoxide poisoning in Wisconsin.

Here's what the experts said about being safe from carbon monoxide in our homes.

The number one thing people can do, said Trouy, is to install carbon monoxide detectors in their homes. According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, a carbon monoxide detector needs to be installed on each floor of the home.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, if you're only getting a single detector, it should be placed near the sleeping areas and should be loud enough to wake up to.

Although carbon monoxide alarms and smoke alarms make look and sound similar, they’re each designed to detect two separate, distinct hazards, so it’s important to install both, the EPA says.

The carbon monoxide detector, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, should be regularly checked. The CDC recommends checking or replacing the detector’s battery when you change the time on your clocks each spring and fall.

Some carbon monoxide detector companies recommend testing the units monthly.

It is important to read the instructions on how to test the device or call the company for guidance.

Another way to prevent carbon monoxide in the home is to conduct regular inspections and testing of appliances such as furnaces, water heaters or gas-burning stoves. Andy Schalk, a technician at Albiero Plumbing & HVAC in West Bend, said he would recommend yearly inspections. He said this is especially important for older appliances as they are made differently and do not have the safety features that the new appliances do.

"We do inspections and testing for proper combustion and potential carbon monoxide leaks," Schalk said. He also said his HVAC and plumbing services can be used for preventive services, such as inspections and routine servicing, rather than just an emergency.

If a carbon monoxide alarm/detector goes off, do not ignore it, warns Cary Rodriguez, a battalion chief for the Germantown Fire Department. He said that some may think it is a false alarm and not take it seriously. Rodriguez said if the alarm sounds, leave the home and call the fire department.

Some people, he said, may think that carbon monoxide issues are more common in the winter, but it is a year-round issue. He said that water heaters run full-time.

If you are renting, Rodriguez suggests asking the landlord and property manager questions about its carbon monoxide detectors and the safety plan for carbon monoxide.

He suggests that tenants can call the fire department with any questions or concerns.

If the flame on a gas stove is more yellow than blue, that is a sign the stove is not burning effectively, said Trouy. The appliance needs to be checked, said Trouy, because this can be a warning sign for carbon monoxide poisoning.

If an appliance is not used appropriately, it can cause carbon monoxide poisoning. Trouy said that people should not run a generator indoors, or have a snowblower running indoors or in a garage. One should not use a grill indoors. In the winter, she said, one should not use an oven to heat one's home.

She said that someone may do that if their furnace is not working well.

Vehicles should also not be running in a garage, she said.

If there is a natural gas smell in your home, Trouy said to call the fire department right away.

The symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure include a headache, fatigue, dizziness, confusion, nausea, shortness of breath and chest pain, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Rodriguez said that carbon monoxide can make someone so tired that "they go to sleep and don't wake up."

If one experiences any of these symptoms, they should go outside the home for fresh air and call the local fire department. A person should not enter until the fire department deems it safe.

If someone is concerned about carbon monoxide poisoning, or if something does not smell right, they can call the local fire department. Rodriguez said that every department has different resources or ways to help. He said that the Germantown Fire Department can take a meter through a house to detect carbon monoxide.

For more information on carbon monoxide, visit WE Energies at www.we-energies.com/safety/co or visit the Centers for Disease Control and Inspection at ww.cdc.gov/co/faqs.htm.

If there is a natural gas emergency, call 1-800-261-5325 (after you leave the area safely).

More:Carbon monoxide levels at UW-Milwaukee dorm reached dangerous levels on night students were evacuated

Cathy Kozlowicz can be reached at 262-361-9132 or [email protected].