You’re probably very aware of carbon monoxide, the danger it can pose to your family, and how it earned its name as “the silent killer”. With a properly and regularly serviced boiler, your risk of carbon monoxide exposure is eliminated, as the qualified staff like those at Charter know how to take care of your domestic boiler and remove those risks.

Commercial gas has a very distinctive smell – the rotten egg odour you’re probably very familiar with, which alerts you to a gas escape somewhere. You won’t get that sort of warning if carbon monoxide escapes into your home from a faulty boiler. You can’t see, taste or smell it, but it could still be there.

The main symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning may creep up on you slowly. They include nausea, headaches, blackouts, dizziness and fainting. Similar symptoms will be experienced by everyone in the house, including pets.

How can you give yourself advance warning that you’re at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning? There are a number of ways, and they don’t have to be expensive. Low tech solutions like detector patches can be installed simply by sticking them to the wall. No bigger than a credit card, a circle in the middle of the patch changes colour when carbon monoxide is detected, giving you a very visual warning.

You can also get carbon monoxide detectors which look a lot like smoke alarm. They constantly analyse the air wherever they’re located, and will beep or flash to warn you of carbon monoxide in the air. More advanced models have digital displays, which tell you how much carbon monoxide has been detected.

Of course, the best way to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning is to look after your boiler. Remove the risk and give yourself peace of mind by booking a boiler service from the gas safe experts at Charter.