NORWICH – Each year, over 200 people in the United States die from carbon monoxide poisoning, and thousands more are hospitalized, the Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates. Because carbon monoxide is a colorless, tasteless, odorless gas, it can kill you before you know it is there.

“It’s the leading cause of gas poisoning in America,” said City of Norwich Fire Captain Jeff Steward. He explained that in some ways it is more important to have a carbon monoxide detector than a smoke detector. “There are obvious signs of a fire. The only time you need a smoke detector is when you’re sleeping. That’s not the case with carbon monoxide. It needs to be monitored 24/7 in your house.” He continued, saying that a carbon monoxide is a byproduct of smoke, so technically a carbon monoxide detector would detect either problem, but not as efficiently. Steward recommends having both.

According to a fire department pamphlet, carbon monoxide is a byproduct of incomplete combustion, present whenever fuel is burned. Common sources include furnaces, clothes dryers, ranges, ovens, water heaters, and unvented fire places, wood stoves, or charcoal grills. Running automobiles can also cause an excess amount of carbon monoxide if left in an attached garage.