Grace Hewitt and Alex Pearson
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — According to the American Red Cross, home heating is the second leading cause of residential fires in the U.S.
Due to efficiency and affordability, natural gas is a popular heating choice. But not one without potential consequences.
“When people heat their homes with natural gas, the gas has to escape the home right. The chimney, for lack of better terms or the flew pipe can get buildup of bird nests over the summer. And then when people turn those on for the first time in the winter, that doesn’t give the gas the chance to escape and you can get a dangerous buildup of carbon monoxide,” said Scott Jacobs, fire marshal for the City of Vandalia.
Carbon monoxide is colorless, odorless, and tasteless, but can cause symptoms of headaches, dizziness, weakness, and even nausea and vomiting. Prolonged exposure can be deadly.
Fire officials encourage every household to install carbon monoxide detectors.
“When those go off, you may not necessarily see or smell anything in the home. So, it’s important to get out of the home and get into clean air and call the fire department right away,” said Jacobs.
Maintaining proper usage is key to using natural gas heaters safely.
“So, we need to make sure that you’re getting those serviced every single year. There are technicians who specialize in this, and if they’re not serviced, it could be very dangerous. You could be leaking natural gas into your house, which caused an explosion,” said Anita Metheny, fire prevention bureau chief.
If you smell any type of combustible gas in your home, the first step is safety. Get out as soon as possible and call 911. Firefighters can check your home with a gas meter and call the gas company if needed.
Read More: Natural gas heating safety this winter