• Buy only appliance approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory.
• Choose fuel-burning appliances that can be vented to the outdoors, whenever possible.
• Make sure appliances are installed according to manufacturer’s instructions and local building codes. Most appliances should be installed by professionals and should be inspected by the proper authority after installation.
• Have the heating system, vents, chimney and flue inspected and cleaned by a qualified technician every year.
• Follow manufacturer’s directions for safe operation of all fuel-burning appliances.
• Examine vents and chimneys regularly for improper connections, visible rust or stains.
• Open a window when a fireplace or wood-burning stove is in use, and provide adequate outdoor air for furnace and water heater.
• Notice problems that could indicate improper appliance operations:  Decreasing hot water supply, Furnace unable to heat house or runs constantly, Sooting - especially on appliances, Unfamiliar or burning odor, Yellow or orange flame
• Be aware of the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning; - headaches, dizziness, weakness, sleepiness, nausea, vomiting, confusion and disorientation.
• Recognize that CO poisoning may be the cause when family members suffer from flu-like symptoms that don’t disappear but improve when they leave home for extended periods of time.
• Install a CO alarm for safety.
  

What You Should Not Do…

• Never burn charcoal inside a home, garage, cabin, RV or camper.
• Never install, service, or convert fuel-burning appliances from one type to another without proper knowledge, skills and tools.
• Never use a gas range, oven or clothes dryer for heating.
• Never operate unvented gas-burning appliances, such as kerosene or natural gas space heaters, in a closed room.
• Never operate gasoline-powered engines (like vehicles, motorcycles, lawn mower or power tools) in confined areas such as garages or basements, even if an outside door or window is open.
• Never ignore a safety device when it shuts off an appliance.
• Never ignore a CO alarm                                                         

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Be Aware of the Warning Signs of CO Clues You Can See…

• Streaks of carbon or soot around the service door of your fuel-burning appliances.
• A yellow or orange flame may indicate a problem with natural gas appliances.
• Excessive rusting on flu pipes or appliance jackets.
• Loose or missing furnace panel.
• Moisture collecting on the windows and walls of furnace rooms.
• Loose or disconnected vent/chimney, fireplace or appliance.
• Small amounts of water leaking from the base of the chimney, vent of flue pipe.
• Rust on the portion of the vent pipe visible from outside your home.
• The absence of a draft in your chimney (indicating blockage).
• Fallen soot from the fireplace chimney.
• Loose, damaged or discolored bricks on your chimney.

Clues You Cannot See… Internal appliance damage or malfunctioning components Improper burner adjustment Hidden blockage or damage in chimneys