Is Your Family Safe From Carbon Monoxide This Winter?

November 2, 2026

Published on November 2, 2026Updated on November 2, 2026

The furnace kicks on. The windows are shut tight. The fireplace is glowing.

It feels cozy, right? But winter is also when carbon monoxide (CO) is most likely to build up inside a home or business.

You can't see it. You can't smell it. So how would you know?

Here's what every Home and Business owner in Port Clinton, Marblehead, Sandusky, and the rest of the Lake Erie shore should know before the cold really sets in.

What Is Carbon Monoxide?

CO is a gas made when fuel burns. Think gas furnaces, water heaters, fireplaces, stoves, dryers, and cars.

When everything works and vents the right way, it heads outside. When something goes wrong, it can stay inside.

Early signs feel a lot like the flu:

Headache
Dizziness
Feeling sick to your stomach
Feeling tired or confused

Here's the scary part. If you're asleep, you may never notice any of that.

Why Is Winter the Danger Zone in Northwest Ohio?

Our winters off Lake Erie are long and cold. That means:

Furnaces run nonstop. A cracked part or blocked vent can leak CO.
Homes are sealed up. Less fresh air gets in to clear it out.
Snow blocks vents. A drift can cover a furnace or dryer vent overnight.
People warm up cars in attached garages. Even with the door open, CO can drift into the house.
Generators come out during storms. Run one too close to a window and CO can creep in.

Is a Plug-In CO Detector Enough?

A basic CO alarm is way better than nothing. But think about this:

What if nobody is home to hear it beep?

Say you're at work in Toledo. Your dog is home in Marblehead. Or maybe you own a lake cottage on Catawba Island and you're in Florida until April.

A beeping alarm in an empty house doesn't help anyone.

How Does a Monitored CO Detector Work?

A monitored CO detector is tied into your security system. When it senses CO, three things happen fast:

The alarm sounds inside so anyone there can get out.
A signal goes to our Five Diamond rated central station, staffed 24/7.
Operators call you and send help if needed, even if you're miles away.

You also get an alert on your phone. So you know what's going on right away.

What About Businesses?

Restaurants, shops, marinas, and offices use gas too. Kitchens, boilers, rooftop heaters, and forklifts can all make CO.

A monitored CO detector protects your staff and customers during the day. And it keeps watch over your building at night when no one is there.

It's one more layer that works with your burglar alarm, fire alarm, and cameras.

Where Should CO Detectors Go?

Good spots to start:

Outside every sleeping area
On every level of the home, including the basement
Near the door from an attached garage
Near (but not right next to) the furnace and water heater

Not sure what your place needs? That's what we're here for. We'll walk your home or business and show you the right spots.

Quick Winter CO Safety Checklist

Get your furnace checked by a pro once a year.
Clear snow off outdoor vents after every storm.
Never run a generator in a garage or near windows.
Never warm up a car in a closed garage.
Test your CO detectors and replace them when they hit their end-of-life date.
Make sure your detectors are monitored if anyone, or anything, is home alone.

Why Catawba?

We've kept families and businesses along Lake Erie safe since 1983. We're family-owned and local, right here in Port Clinton.

We install premium life safety gear, and we back it with 24/7 monitoring and 24/7 emergency service. From Toledo to Cleveland and out to the Lake Erie islands, we've got you covered.