(KAIR)--It's that time of year when people gather indoors and turn up the heat in an attempt to ward off the chill of winter. While this does sound good, it can be dangerous as well. Unless you are utilizing a wood burning fireplace or any form of electric heat, you can be at risk for carbon monoxide poisoning. Most gas burning heaters can put off at least a trace amount of the colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas. Atchison fire chief Mike McDermed warns that the signs and symptoms of someone who is suffering from exposure to carbon monoxide include headache or a general feeling of sickness, but these are the same symptoms of the flu, so some may not realize they have been effected. He says the best thing that can be done if you suspect a carbon monoxide leak in your home is to call 911. The fire department has the proper equipment to detect carbon monoxide, and will determine if a leak has indeed occurred.

McDermed further says that it is very important to have a service technician come to your home periodically to check any gas heaters, stoves, and devices fueled by any petroleum based products to ensure that little, if any of the harmful gas is being emitted. One of the best ways you can check, is to look at the flame coming from the device. If it is blue, then in most cases, everything is working fine. If it is any other color, then you should have it checked out immediately.

McDermed also advises people to keep any generators outside of the home. He says that with the cold weather, some people may be tempted to keep these devices indoors in a basement area to limit exposure to the cold, but with ventilation limited, there is more of a chance that these generators can put off significant amounts of carbon monoxide.