The Connection Bernards-Ridge Edition Sept/Oct/Nov 2016

www.theconnectionsnj.com 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed | www.frasair.com Servicing your area since 1967 24 Hour Emergency Service With Live Operator • Air Conditioning • Heating • Plumbing • Indoor Air Quality • Attic Insulation • Duct Cleaning • Service & Maintenance Contracts (./% )'- # '//++ 0'/$,)-$((,, &00 % &(*0 &,'' ! " HOME SAFE HOME? Now Is The Time To Protect Your Home and Family from Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Fifty-nine percent of non-fire carbon monoxide related deaths occur between November and February. While 94% of homeowners know that the furnace can release deadly carbon monoxide gas, more than half (53.7%) don’t take simple steps that can prevent that from happening. That is the finding of a survey complet- ed on behalf of Fras-Air Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning, located in Hillsborough. The survey questioned 1,000 homeowners in the U.S. and Canada about their knowledge of carbon monoxide. While 50.1% of homeowners are very con- cerned or concerned about carbon monox-

de, there are alarming gaps in what they know about the subject. The Centers for Disease Control has described carbon monoxide poisoning as a leading cause of unintentional poisoning deaths in the Unit- ed States, causing approximately 15,000 emergency room visits and nearly 500 deaths annually. As many as 68,000 cases of non-fatal carbon monoxide exposures were reported to poison control centers between 2000-2009. “Carbon monoxide emissions don’t just happen with older furnaces,” said Dave Schneider, General Manager at Fras-Air Service Experts. “Even a new furnace can emit the deadly gas if it wasn’t installed correctly. As part of every furnace tune-up, we check to be sure that the system is working properly and no carbon monoxide

s being released.” Survey highlights include: • 66.5% don’t know if they would rec- ognize the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning • More than half of homeowners (53%) don’t know that the clothes dryer can be a source of carbon monoxide; 25.5% don’t know that the fireplace also can be a source • More than half (54%) don’t know the best place in the home to install a carbon monoxide detector • More than half (54%) also don’t get their furnace tuned annually, which can identify and repair a carbon monoxide leak or poten- tial leak • 41% say they never replace their car- bon monoxide detector, or they aren’t sure how often it is replaced • Most alarmingly, over one third of homeowners (34%) don’t have or aren’t sure if they have a carbon monoxide detector in their homes • 22.1% never test or don’t know how to test the detectors to be sure they are working • 20.7% replace the batteries every few years – or never at all “Our survey found that homeowners in the Northeast are ahead of other regions for having carbon monoxide detectors in the home – 87.5% of homes have a detec- tor. But homeowners in the East are also more likely to be behind in replacing the batteries. Twenty-one percent never change the batteries in the detector, or don’t know the last time they replaced the batteries. Twenty-four percent of home- owners in the Northeast never test the detector to be sure it’s working or don’t know how to test it.” In addition to annual furnace tune-ups, a carbon monoxide detector should be part of every home monitoring system. Carbon monoxide detectors should be installed outside of each separate sleeping area, and not within 15 feet of heating or cooking appliances in humid areas such as bath- rooms. They should not be installed direct- ly above or beside fuel-burning appliances, since those may emit a small amount of carbon monoxide on start-up. Beginning October 1, Fras-Air Service Experts will again roll out their “Pink Van Promotion.” Two of the company’s service vans will be painted bright pink, and 20% of all revenue generated by those vans will be donated to Susan G. Komen North Jer- sey. (In 2015, Fras-Air raised more than $7,000 with the Pink Vans.) “Any tune- up, repair or other service performed dur- ing the month is eligible for the donation, so I would encourage everyone to go ahead and make appointments for a fur- nace tune-up, which includes a carbon monoxide check, before the holiday sea- son.” Appointments can be made at www.frasair.com. SERVICE EXPERTS 178 C-Route 206 Hillsborough, NJ 908-526-1155

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