THE GOODS : ECONOTES : Keep Them Safe for Valentine’s Day

It’s not exactly a bouquet of roses. The Consumer Federation of America is suggesting a dif ferent way to show you care on Valentine’s Day: a carbon monoxide prevention check.

“Saving your family’s life by preventing carbon monoxide poisoning is undoubtedly one of the best ways of showing your love for them,” says Mary Ellen Fise, CFA’s product safety director.

Odorless CO can sneak into a household, causing illness and death if not detected, she says. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that hundreds of deaths and thousands of illnesses are caused by CO every year.

The federation, an umbrella group representing about 50 million consumers, has put together a checklist to reduce chances of CO poisoning:

- Never keep a car, motorcycle or lawn mower running in a closed or attached garage. Even outside, don’t park with the motor running for long periods of time.

- Have a qualified technician check your home’s gas or oil central and room heating appliances, including water heaters and gas dryers.

- Have your chimney and flue checked for blockages, corrosion and loose connections.

- Never use a range or oven to heat the living areas of a home.

- Never use a charcoal grill or hibachi in the home or in a car, recreational vehicle or camper.

- Consider installing a carbon monoxide detector that meets the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) standard 2034.

- Know the flulike symptoms of CO poisoning; they include dizziness, nausea, fatigue, irregular breathing, headache, confusion and disorientation. Do they intensify when you come into the house? At very high levels, CO causes loss of consciousness and death. A free fact sheet is available by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope to Consumer Federation of America, CO Check, P.O. Box 12099, Washington, D.C. 20005-0999.

To keep romance alive, you might tuck the fact sheet into a Valentine, or even clip it to a dozen roses, suggests Fise: “While some of the traditional Valentine’s gifts may seem more appealing, preventing a CO poisoning tragedy is a terrific way for spouses, friends, parents and children to show one another they care about their future together.”