With this cold weather, be careful of crbon monoxide leaks

[rivll]

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/carbon_monoxide_poisoning/page3_em.htm

I was feeling very sick last night and today. I may be coming down with something, but it felt really severe and I have been freezing.
I went to turn up the heat (which I rarely use during normal times) and discovered the pilot has been off all this time!
I have been poisoning myself and my dogs (and I hope the mice) with carbon monoxide!!
Really scary..all windows are open now and it is quite cold, but happy to be alive.
Check your pilots folks..

[rivll]

I often use my gas oven for heat in the apartment and though I have a smoke alarm detector, I don't have a cm detector. My landlord is a bit of a slumlord, but really no excuses, I should be on top of it as well. I think my neighbors have a similar situation and with a baby no less. Thanks Iladvocate and all for your replies. I left the windows open last night and though it was really cold, I feel much better today. Whew.

[newtowngirl]

Have you been checked out by a doctor since this occurred?  That might be a good idea.

[margypops]

Good advice I wouldnt have thought to check .

[adgal]

Such good advice.  We have a carbon monoxide detector in the hallway upstairs, and one right by the furnace downstairs.  They are very very inexpensive and are as critical to a home as smoke detectors.  Carbon Monoxide, it is a silent killer...people have died in their sleep.  

Funny story for you about my Carbon Monoxide detector though....I came home with Ryder one afternoon, and heard a beep beep.  It was the detector going off - the red light was blinking and it was beeping (I remember being upset thinking that's not very loud, I doubt it would even wake us up).  I immediately left the house with my son and called 911 (which you are supposed to do in a CM situation).  THe fire dept came screaming up, sirens going full blast.  The firefighters went in (in protective head gear so as not to inhale the CM).  So....who knew it beeped like that when the batteries were low....lol.  Thankfully they were very nice, put in new batteries for me and explained that it would have been going full blast like a smoke detector had there been a real issue.  Then they gave Ryder a fireman coloring book and told me not to worry, this happens all the time.  Lol...this was just last spring.  So very embarrassing...my husband still teases me about it...

[ILADVOCATE]

  Yes I agree. I had  a similar experience months ago and was alerted to it by the carbon monoxide detector going off. Its essential to have one of these installed. In the apartment complex I live in tenants are required to have one instealled in fact just like a smoke alarmn. For people in general its a very worthwhile intevestment as carbon monoxide unlike smoke isnt visible and is odorless but over time can be fatal. That one is an essential preventment means.