Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning warning as winter bites
Now that the weather is taking a turn for the worse, more people will be reaching for the thermostat or stoking up their wood burners for extra warmth. But Carmarthenshire County Council is urging people to ensure their gas and solid fuel heaters are safe and serviced. Teams from Public Protection, Property Services and Housing are all playing their part in encouraging tenants, landlords and homeowners to check that their boilers, gas and solid fuel fires are properly maintained. Failure to do so could be deadly - on average, 50 people a year across the UK are killed by carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning due to faulty heating appliances. Carbon monoxide is known as a ‘silent killer’ as it is odourless, colourless and tasteless, making it difficult to detect. It can be given off by appliances that burn fossil fuels such as gas, coal, wood or oil if the appliances are not working properly, the flue is blocked, or the room is not properly ventilated. But simple annual maintenance and regula...