Carbon monoxide

When the flame in the gas appliance is orange instead of blue, or when the flame is higher than normal. The windows fog up because the released water vapour does not escape through the vents.

Mild carbon monoxide poisoning can cause headaches, nausea, dizziness, an accelerated heartbeat and fatigue. Severe carbon monoxide poisoning is fatal.

• Ventilate the house properly. Whereas houses used to have more natural ventilation through cracks and holes, nowadays we often have to rely on windows, air vents or a central ventilation system: make sure that something is always open or on.
• Have your stove and water heater checked annually by a certified installer.
• Buy a carbon monoxide detector from a DIY store and install it in your home. Installation, maintenance and replacement are your own responsibility.
• Check the CO Alarm (and battery) regularly by pressing the test button. Check the manual of your alarm to see how to do this.

• Lieven de Stad checks the central heating boiler once every two years, a water heater once a year.
• Carbon monoxide is mainly released by so-called open combustion appliances such as water heaters and stoves. If the installer determines that the appliance needs to be replaced, it is always replaced by a central heating boiler.