The first chilly night of fall is a familiar moment in New Jersey. You bump up the thermostat, and the furnace or boiler kicks on for the first time in months. That is also when carbon monoxide safety matters most. Furnaces, boilers, water heaters, gas ranges, and space heaters all burn fuel. As a result, any of them can release carbon monoxide (CO) into your home if it is not working or venting properly.
This guide covers where CO comes from, carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms, and NJ rules for CO alarms. We also share heating season tips and how eligible households can get FREE upgrades through Comfort Partners and IQ.
What Is Carbon Monoxide and Why Does Heating Season Raise the Risk?
Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas you cannot see, smell, or taste. According to the NFPA, it forms when fuels such as natural gas, oil, wood, or gasoline burn incompletely. The CDC reports that more than 400 Americans die each year from unintentional CO poisoning not linked to fires. Closer to home, the New Jersey Department of Health reports that 197 NJ residents went to emergency rooms for it in 2024. In fall and winter, heating equipment runs longer and windows stay shut. In addition, vents and chimneys that sat idle all summer go back into service.
Where Carbon Monoxide Comes From in a New Jersey Home
In many New Jersey homes, the basement holds a furnace or boiler next to a gas water heater. Each one connects to a metal flue pipe that carries exhaust up a chimney or out through a wall. When these appliances are clean and vented properly, the exhaust leaves the house. However, when they are not, CO can collect indoors.
For example, the EPA lists these common household CO sources:
- Leaking chimneys and furnaces, and worn or poorly adjusted boilers
- Back-drafting from furnaces, gas water heaters, wood stoves, and fireplaces
- Flues that are the wrong size, blocked, or disconnected
- Gas ranges, unvented space heaters, generators, and car exhaust from an attached garage
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Symptoms
According to the CDC and the NJ Department of Health, common symptoms include headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. Because they feel “flu-like,” CO poisoning is easy to miss. Also, the EPA notes that symptoms may clear up after you leave the home, which is an important clue. Even worse, the CDC warns that sleeping people can die before they notice any symptoms. That is why working CO alarms near bedrooms are so important.
What NJ Requires for CO Alarms
The NJ Division of Fire Safety says one- and two-family homes need CO alarms near the bedrooms if they have a fuel-fired appliance or an attached garage. Alarms may be battery-operated, plug-in, or hard-wired, and they must meet the UL 2034 standard. Before one of these homes is sold or rented to new occupants, the owner generally needs a certificate showing the required alarms are in place.
Carbon Monoxide Safety Tips for Heating Season
Put CO Detectors Where They Can Wake You
The most important spot for a CO detector is the hallway outside sleeping areas. The CPSC also recommends battery-operated alarms, or alarms with battery backup, on every level of the home. Meanwhile, the NFPA adds that interconnected alarms offer the best protection.
- Mount a CO alarm on the hallway wall or ceiling outside each sleeping area.
- Add an alarm on every level, including the basement.
- Remember that a smoke alarm does not detect CO, so use a CO alarm or a combination alarm.
Test and Replace Your Alarms
The NFPA recommends testing CO alarms at least once a month. In addition, the CDC suggests checking batteries when you change your clocks each spring and fall. Finally, replace each detector according to the manufacturer’s instructions or every 5 years.
Keep Outdoor Vents and Flues Clear
Many high-efficiency furnaces and water heaters vent through pipes on the side of the house instead of a chimney. In fall, leaves can pile up around them, and in winter, snow can bury them. For this reason, the NFPA recommends keeping dryer, furnace, stove, and fireplace vents clear of snow during and after a storm.
- Check exterior vents at least monthly during heating season, and clear away leaves, snow, and ice.
- Do not stack firewood, trash cans, or furniture in front of vents.
- If a flue pipe looks loose, rusted, or disconnected, call a qualified technician instead of fixing it yourself.
Use Fuel-Burning Appliances the Right Way
- Schedule an annual tune-up. The CDC recommends yearly service for your heating system, water heater, and other fuel-burning appliances. Our HVAC maintenance tips explain what regular service covers.
- Never heat your home with a gas oven or range. The CDC warns against it.
- Keep generators outside. Never use one inside your home or garage, even with doors and windows open. Also, keep it more than 20 feet from windows, doors, and vents.
- Never idle a car in an attached garage, even with the garage door open.
Smart Advice: Air Sealing and Combustion Safety Testing Go Together
Sealing air leaks is one of the best ways to make a home warmer and lower heating bills. However, the DOE’s Building America guide explains that tightening a home without proper ventilation can lead to backdrafting. That does not make air sealing unsafe. Instead, it means trained professionals should do the work and test before and after. Learn more in air sealing explained.
According to the same DOE guide, contractors check stoves, furnaces, water heaters, and fireplaces for CO levels, backdrafting, gas leaks, and cracked heat exchangers. If they find a problem, no air sealing happens until it is fixed. That is one reason a professional home energy assessment is so valuable. Along with insulation and air leaks, it may include health and safety checks for combustion safety and ventilation.
When to Call a Pro or 911
Call 911 Right Away If:
- Your CO alarm sounds. The NFPA advises moving to fresh air right away, making sure everyone is accounted for, and calling for help from there.
- Anyone has symptoms that could be CO poisoning, or someone is very drowsy, confused, or hard to wake.
Do not go back inside to look for the source. Instead, let emergency responders tell you when it is safe. Also, if you smell gas, leave right away and call 911 or your gas utility from outside.
Call a Qualified Professional If:
- Your heating system or water heater has not had service in the past year.
- A pilot light keeps going out or burner flames look different than usual.
- You are planning air sealing or insulation and have fuel-burning appliances.
How GreenLife Can Help: FREE Upgrades Through Comfort Partners and IQ
GreenLife Energy Solutions helps NJ homeowners and renters make their homes safer, healthier, and more energy efficient. We are a participating contractor for two programs that provide upgrades at no cost to eligible households.
- Comfort Partners is New Jersey’s energy efficiency program for income-qualified households. For those who qualify, it is completely FREE, including the assessment, the labor, and approved upgrades.
- The IQ program is also completely FREE for eligible NJ households. It starts with an eligibility check and a free home energy assessment.
To learn more, our post comparing Comfort Partners vs. IQ explains the differences.
How It Works
- Check your eligibility. Contact us or call 609-869-8909.
- Get your free assessment. If you qualify, a trained energy professional visits to look at insulation, air leaks, heating equipment, and safety.
- Get your upgrades installed. Approved measures are installed at no cost to you.
Renters may qualify too, with landlord permission. Plus, you do not need to know which program fits before you reach out.
Conclusion: Make Carbon Monoxide Safety Part of Your Fall Routine
In short, carbon monoxide safety comes down to a few easy habits. First, keep working CO alarms outside every sleeping area and on every level, and test them monthly. Next, have your heating equipment and chimney checked every year, and keep outdoor vents clear. Finally, if your household qualifies for Comfort Partners or IQ, your assessment and approved upgrades can be completely FREE. So reach out to GreenLife today, and let us help you enjoy a warm, safe New Jersey winter.
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Basics.” https://www.cdc.gov/carbon-monoxide/about/index.html
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “Carbon Monoxide’s Impact on Indoor Air Quality.” https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/carbon-monoxides-impact-indoor-air-quality
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), “Carbon Monoxide Information Center.” https://www.cpsc.gov/Safety-Education/Safety-Education-Centers/Carbon-Monoxide-Information-Center
- National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), “Carbon Monoxide Safety.” https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/home-fire-safety/carbon-monoxide
- New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, Division of Fire Safety, “Bulletin 2017-1: Carbon Monoxide Detection Installation, All Use Groups.” https://www.nj.gov/dca/divisions/dfs/alerts/bulletins/bulletin_2017-1_carbon_monoxide.pdf
- New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, Division of Fire Safety, “Application and Certification in Lieu of Inspection for Certificate of Smoke Detector and Carbon Monoxide Alarm and Portable Fire Extinguisher Compliance.” https://www.nj.gov/dca/divisions/dfs/forms/bfce/certificationinlieu.pdf
- New Jersey Department of Health, “Carbon Monoxide Gas Can Kill Quickly” fact sheet. https://www.nj.gov/health/ceohs/documents/ceohs%20content/COPoisonFacts_2026_Eng_ver2.pdf
- U.S. Department of Energy, Building America, “Retrofit Techniques and Technologies: Air Sealing.” https://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/building_america/ba_airsealing_report.pdf
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