Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Can Occur in Just 5 Minutes–Run Generators Outside–Never Inside
Hurricane Sandy developed into a Superstorm that traversed the Appalachian Mountains and pushed it’s way into Michigan, Wisconsin and Canada. Although no longer a hurricane, Fierce winds gusted up to 50 MPH and produced waves on Lake Michigan as high as 33 feet, and snow depths of more than a foot in the mountains and in Michigan.
By the time the winds subsided and the storm was over, more than 8.6 million utility customers struggled to cope without power. Some homeowners responded by hooking up portable generators to keep the lights on, power their sump pumps, and run their furnaces.
In some cases, fear of theft or lack of knowledge caused some people to place their generators too close to, or even inside their homes, despite manufacturer warnings not to do so.
Never Run a Generator Indoors or Near an Open Window, Door, or Opening
Tragedy
Authorities blamed Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning for the deaths of at least eight people in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Dozens more found themselves in hospital emergency rooms, sickened by the exhaust fumes produced by gas-powered space heaters and generators.
Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas found in the exhaust of internal combustion engines. Indoors or in any enclosed space, accumulating carbon monoxide can kill a healthy adult in as little as five minutes. Choose a safe and secure place to run portable backup generators where the exhaust cannot enter your home or a neighboring home.
Why Generator Placement Matters
- A 55-year-old man was found dead in his New Brunswick, New Jersey home after running a generator in his basement.
- A Trenton, New Jersey woman died from high levels of carbon monoxide poisoning, and seven other members of her family were hospitalized after running a generator and propane space heater on the first floor of their home.
- In Newark, New Jersey, two nineteen-year-old girls were killed by carbon monoxide from a generator placed outside their apartment window.
All of these tragic deaths could have been avoided by the safe placement of their electric generators and other fuel-dependent devices, along with the installation of a battery-powered carbon-monoxide detector.
Carbon Monoxide
Carbon Monoxide is a byproduct of burning carbon-based fuels including gasoline, kerosene, diesel, fuel oil, propane, and natural gas. Although it occurs naturally, even small concentrations can cause sickness or death. A level of just 667 parts per million may cause conversion of half the body’s hemoglobin and quickly lead to seizure, coma, and death.
Breathing fresh air without carbon monoxide reduces CO in the blood by 1/2 every five hours. Treatment includes providing the patient with oxygen and possibly time in a hyperbaric chamber to speed recovery.
Carbon monoxide sickens and kills quickly. Symptoms of CO poisoning include headache, fatigue, nausea, dizziness, vomiting and weakness. If you or a family member experience these symptoms, move to a well ventilated area immediately and seek medical assistance.
Every Home, Apartment, Cabin, RV, and any other Dwelling should have a Carbon Monoxide Detector on each level in a central location.
Portable Generator Placement
Do Not place a portable generator outside an open window, even if that window is only open a crack. Differences in air temperature between inside and outside can pull the exhaust fumes directly into the home. Keep the generator away from open vents, doors and windows.
Never run portable generators indoors, or in any enclosed space such as a garage, shed, or vehicle, even if the windows and doors are open. Windows and doors do not provide sufficient ventilation. An open garage door does NOT provide sufficient ventilation.
Place the generator so the prevailing wind―the direction the wind usually comes from―blows the exhaust away from the house and not into it. Be aware of your neighbor’s home is and how generator placement may affect them. Point the exhaust away from your home and garage and away from nearby homes.
Run Portable Generators Outdoors at least 20 feet from the house.
Install battery-powered carbon-monoxide detectors inside your home and in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Replace the battery every six months or as recommended in the owner’s manual.
Generators
Portable generators are safe when used properly. Always read the owners manual and all documentation that comes with your generator. Heed all safety warnings, information, and guidelines. If you rent a generator, ask the rental company for instructions on where to place the generator and how to fuel it.
Pay special attention to placing your portable generator in a location that will keep your home safe. It’s not worth the risk of dying to run a generator inside your home in order to prevent someone from stealing it.
Standby Generators provide a safer option without the worry of theft. Their design allows installation just 18 inches from the home provided local codes allow. They operate automatically and run on your natural gas or propane supply. Standby vs Portable: Need To Know
Updated January 31, 2020
