Carbon Monoxide and home heating safety

As Illinoisans turn up their thermostats to stay warm the rest of this winter the risk of a home heating fire or Carbon Monoxide incident increases. This is why the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) encourages residents to have their furnaces checked, change furnace filters, and make sure carbon monoxide (CO) and smoke alarms are functioning properly. Unlike smoke, carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless gas only detectable by special devices and CO alarms.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fi...