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Owners urged to act on silent killer

Thursday, 8 December 2011 11:39 AM

Less than half of home owners have a carbon monoxide detector despite the dangers posed by the gas, according to new research.

The AA's Home Emergency Response service says the number is deeply worrying given that figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show a 90 per cent increase in incidents of carbon monoxide poisoning in the last five years.

The research says 45 per cent of owners have a carbon monoxide detector – less than half of the 97 per cent who have a smoke alarm in their home.

Carbon monoxide is colourless, odourless and tasteless and very difficult to detect without a monitor. Initial symptoms are similar to the flu.

The HSE figures show that there were 14 deaths from the gas in 2010/11 and the number of non-fatal incidents rose from 184 in 2006/07 to 343 in 2010/11.

Tom Stringer, head of the AA Home Emergency Response service, said: "Carbon monoxide is known as the silent killer as it is so hard to spot. One of the main sources of carbon monoxide in the home is faulty gas appliances such as boilers.

"We would encourage all homeowners to get their appliances serviced, before the hard work of the winter really kicks in."

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