LUFKIN, Texas (KTRE) – Chillier temperatures have many East Texans dusting off their space heaters or cranking up the thermostat.
That means it is time for a reminder to keep your family safe.
If you use a gas, propane, or natural gas heater or other appliances to stay warm, there is always the possibility of a carbon monoxide leak.
Lufkin Fire Chief Jesse Moody said it can be tricky to know when it’s a threat to your home and finding its source.
“It can be any one of a number of things,” Moody said. “Whether people have a gas fired water heater, a gas fired central heating unit, gas stove, gas space heater.”
Moody said reports of carbon monoxide occur when generator and space heater usage increases.
If you use a gas-powered heater or stove to warm your home, the flame should be blue rather than yellow or orange.
“That’s when you’re having an incomplete combustion and are much more likely to have a carbon monoxide build up,” Moody said,
The buildup takes time. Carbon monoxide is colorless, tasteless, and odorless. Also known as a silent killer.
Aside from death the gas can cause other long-lasting problems.
“Once the carbon monoxide is bound to the hemoglobin in your body it takes a long time to get rid of it. It causes brain damage, heart disease, heart damage etc.” Moody said.
Fernando Preciado with American Red Cross said if not used properly space heaters can also cause a house fire. They responded to many heater related fires after last week’s freeze.
“The space heaters are coming out of the closet, out of the garage, out of the storage room,” Preciado said.
He said since October first they’ve helped with 27 home fires in the Southeast, Deep East Texas region. The American Red Cross classifies a home fire as a disaster.
“Sometimes we don’t see it that way because it only affects one residence, but for the people living in that residence that’s as bad as it gets,” Preciado said.
If you use a space heater experts recommend placing it at least three feet away from objects. Check the heater and its cord for damages. If it’s in storage be sure to properly clean it before use.
Preciado said the American Red Cross is there to help before and after. They offer a program to provide and install smoke alarms in homes at no cost. They also offer a “What to Do After a House Fire” program. It provides immediate assistance to families, including money for clothes and food.
“There’s a big gap with people not understanding or not knowing what’s out there for them. The prevention part of it is huge,” Preciado said.
Copyright 2025 KTRE. All rights reserved.