Health Tip: Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

(HealthDay News) - To prevent poisoning from carbon monoxide -- a colorless, odorless gas -- it's important to take precautions at home.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency offers these safety recommendations:

• Have your appliances that burn fuel checked once a year, including your chimney and furnace flues.

• Don't try to heat your home with a gas-burning oven.

• Never use a grill or barbecue inside the home, in a garage, or in any enclosed space.

• Don't use an unvented kerosene or gas heater inside the home, particularly while you sleep.

• Don't allow a lawn mower or car to run inside a garage.

• Use a carbon monoxide alarm in your home, particularly in areas where you sleep.