CLARKS SUMMIT -- Whenever someone is killed by carbon monoxide, folks in the heating business take the news especially hard.
Wayne Pisanchyn, owner of Pisanchyn Plumbing and Heating, said it is a reminder of why he does his job.
He got another reminder when his crew went to remove a water heater at a home in Clarks Summit Friday and they found another problem.
They saw that the lower part of the home's chimney was blocked by leaves, dirt and debris. If it had gotten much worse, it could have led to carbon monoxide in the home.
Pisanchyn recommends that folks check their chimneys at least once a year. Most have an inspection door. You can look up with a mirror and should see a light from the outside.
"I wouldn't do anymore than open the door, use a mirror, and look up. Beyond that, if you are unsure, I would call your heating professional," Pisanchyn said.
A carbon monoxide detector can protect your home around the clock.
Scranton Fire Inspector Shaun Flynn has a stack of about 50 carbon monoxide detectors at Scranton Fire Headquarters ready to be installed as a part of WNEP's "Operation Save a Life" program.
The program provides free smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. In Scranton, a firefighter can install it for you.
If you buy one for yourself, Flynn said they cost less than $30.
"If you're only going to have one in your house, my recommendation would be to have it in the highest occupied level of the house. My reasoning for that is, if you are asleep, you want it in a location where it is going to alert you to the fact that something is wrong in the house," Flynn said.
