With the arrival of winter, low temperatures invite the use of various heating elements to keep heat in homes. However, the increase in the use of these devices also carries a greater risk of poisoning by carbon monoxidea gas invisible and odorless that can be fatal in high concentrations. Faced with this silent threat, it is essential that the population take the necessary precautions to avoid incidents and guarantee the safety of their homes during the winter season.
The director of Civil Defense of Mendoza, Daniel Burrieza, spoke with MDZ Radio 105.5 FM to provide a series of recommendations and precautions to take into account when handling these heating elements. By way of introduction, he explained that “the carbon monoxide it’s a gas invisible, odorless and highly harmful that compromises people’s lives. The exposure to carbon monoxide It leaves serious conditions in the neurological system, in the case of survival. “It’s something we can’t play with and we have to be very careful.”
Precautions to avoid poisoning
Burrieza warned that “as low temperatures begin, the first thing we have to do as a primary measure is to clean and verify the operation of all the devices that are allowed to be used for heating. When I say the devices that are allowed, I especially want to address people who use ovens, braziers and some other type of heating element that, by having combustion directly inside a room or a direct emanation of the fire produced by these devices, we are immediately in danger of that emanation of monoxide by combustion remains inside a room. As a precaution, you must always keep a window ajar, trying to generate an air current that allows the exchange of stale air from a heated room with clean air from outside so that there is an exchange of renewal of air. oxygen”.
“Another thing we recommend is not to use the heating elements at night. In principle we are saying check what the condition is, because there are times that the solenoid valves of the sensors that detect that the flame has gone out do not work and continue to come out. gasand therefore people also have to think that they are at risk of death from inhalation of gaswhich is not the same as inhalation of carbon monoxide“he explained.
The director of Civil Defense indicated that “the other factor that is added in the season of winter and what we see is growing is the number of accidents we have due to the oversaturation of electrical devices for heating, listening to music, the computer, the nightstand; used all together where they saturate the line, saturate the power cable, overheat, melt, cause fires and people also die either from the fire or from poisoning by inhalation of carbonaceous remains of smoke. This is also a situation that must be kept in mind and work on prevention within the home.”
Warning signs
Being the carbon monoxide a gas imperceptible, those who contract a poisoning They should be attentive to the symptoms they present in the coming days. Burrieza mentioned: “There are several, from paleness, drowsiness, losing balance, feeling dizzy, having feelings of vomiting, being decomposed, losing consciousness. People who can detect this, the first thing they have to do when they meet a person in these conditions or especially if they have lost consciousness and if there is that suspicion, it is immediately necessary to open doors and windows to cause rapid ventilation and, as far as possible, try to extract those people from that place so that they can breathe fresh air, which is “The only quick option that can be done is through oxygen therapy.”
“If we get to this situation, it means that we have done something wrong or that the appliances are wrong and we are not monitoring them, that the windows were not ajar and that we have been using an appliance that actually produces combustion and emanates carbon monoxide inside a room,” he added.
Recommendations from a professional
Daniel Burrieza clarified that “the devices must be installed and controlled by licensed gas technicians. There is a reality that at this time of the year when the devices are just beginning to be used, we surely find ourselves with a lot of dust, they are dirty, the devices have sticking soil the grease left by the combustion itself. This is a problem that sometimes is not solved with what we believe, which is to shake it and it is clean. We must make sure that the appliances are working well and if possible do it with a. registered gas operator”.
“A symptom to know that the device is malfunctioning is when the flame is slightly yellow, orange, it has colors that are not clearly blue, which represents complete combustion, and therefore when we see those colors it means that we are facing combustion. incomplete and that under no circumstances should we continue using it because there is monoxide emissions in the environment,” concluded the director of Civil Defense.
