Breathe Easy: FREE Carbon Monoxide Detectors from CEP

Protect your household from carbon monoxide for FREE! CEP is proud to work with Portland Housing Bureau to distribute carbon monoxide alarms and educational materials to income-qualified Portland residents.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that can be deadly—but a simple detector can save lives. Burning fuels, including gas, wood, propane or charcoal, makes carbon monoxide. CO poisoning can cause serious and permanent health issues, including brain damage, and heart issues.

Home appliances that aren’t well vented can cause the gas to build up to dangerous levels. Any combustion appliance that burns fuel can produce unsafe levels of CO if not properly maintained, including your home’s:

Furnace

Water heater

Wood fireplace

Stove/oven

Non electric space heater

Each floor of your home needs a separate CO detector. If you have only one carbon monoxide detector, place it within 15 feet of sleeping areas and ensure the alarm is loud enough to wake you up. If there are no combustion appliances in your home, but there is an attached garage, there is still a CO risk and it is important to have a CO monitor.

Important safety tips to prevent CO poisoning:

• Inspect your heating system annually and service as needed

• Make sure your kitchen has an operational rangehood exhaust fan for your gas range/stove and that it is turned on when cooking with gas

• Note that a CO monitor is NOT a substitute for a smoke detector

• Check your monitor’s batteries twice a year

• Never use a gas oven as source of heat

Please email Sara Johnson if you are interested in receiving a free CO alarm ($30 value) for your home.