COMEDY STAR AND carbon monoxide safety ambassador Rory Cowan has spoken about his battle against the killer gas.
The Mrs Brown’s Boys actor shared his story as it emerged 1.1 million people in Ireland are at risk from the silent killer.
As carbon monoxide awareness week enters its fifth year this week, experts have warned as many as 730,000 people haven’t got around to buying or installing an audible carbon monoxide alarm.
Over 400,000 people have blocked a vent to keep heat and draughts out of their homes.
Speaking of his ordeal, Rory Cowan said: ”This awareness week is very close to my heart as I suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning myself a few years ago. I was shocked to discover the deadly gas as I’d just renovated my home. I didn’t think carbon monoxide could be present in a new home with a boiler that had been installed for less than a year.
I was feeling tired and was suffering from unusual bouts of headaches over a period of time. A friend of mine insisted I ring the gas company’s emergency line.
“They sent a specialist out who then discovered there were toxic levels of carbon monoxide in my house and I was being slowly poisoned. After my experience I recognise the importance of having a carbon monoxide alarm in the home and I would ask everybody to get one for themselves and their loved ones and friends.”
Homeowners are being urged to get a carbon monoxide alarm which will detect harmful levels of the gas in your home.
Experts have also advised people to get their boiler serviced regularly and to never block any chimneys.
Carbon monoxide (CO) can be produced when any fossil fuel is burned including oil, gas, peat turf, wood and wood pellets, petrol, diesel and coal.
At high levels, carbon monoxide can kill in as little as three minutes; at lower levels it causes illness.
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