CO Poisoning and Garage Doors
© 2006 Door & Access Systems
Publish Date: Winter 2006
Author: Tom Wadsworth
Page 74
CLIPPINGS
Garage Doors and Openers in the Media
CO Poisoning and Garage Doors
A DEATH IN VIRGINIA
Source: Mary Kay Mallonee, “Woman’s death a painful reminder about safe operation of generators,” WAVY-TV (Portsmouth, Va.), Sept. 5, 2006.
An 83-year-old Newport News, Va., woman died after Hurricane Ernesto raked through the area in September 2006. But Ernesto didn’t kill her. She died of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning from a generator running in her garage during a power outage.
Firemen said the CO reading in the house was “off the charts.” She went to bed with the garage door closed. She left a side window open, but it wasn’t enough ventilation.
The story says firefighters encourage homeowners to buy carbon monoxide detectors.
A MISSION IN FLORIDA
Source: Tere Figueras Negrete, “Grief inspires a mission: making carbon monoxide detectors mandatory,” Miami Herald, Nov. 28, 2006.
“I want people to get mad,” says Maria Marquez.
Marquez is on a mission to make carbon monoxide detectors mandatory in Florida. On Aug. 27, 2006, Marquez found her mother, only sister, brother-in-law, and two young nephews dead in a West Miami-Dade home.
Marquez’s sister was found in a vehicle that was left running inside a closed garage. Police think she committed suicide, and the CO deaths of the others in the house were accidental.
A NEW LAW IN ILLINOIS
Source: “New carbon monoxide law aims to save lives,” Salem (Ill.) Times Commoner, Nov. 24, 2006.
On Jan. 1, 2007, a new law took effect in Illinois requiring any residence with an attached garage or with fossil fuel-burning appliances to install a carbon monoxide alarm within 15' of all sleeping areas.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), carbon monoxide poisoning is responsible for about 500 unintentionally deaths annually in the United States and forces 15,000 Americans to seek medical attention. Most deaths occur during the winter heating season.
The story says to never let a car run in the garage, even if the garage door is open. Severe poisonings can cause convulsions, unconsciousness, brain damage, and death.
Editor’s Note: Garage doors are often mentioned in carbon monoxide stories. Dealers may find it useful to include carbon monoxide alarms in your product offering. As a public service, offer customers a safety information sheet about the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. For the facts, go to www.cdc.gov/co.
Garage Makeovers Hit the Big Time
Source: Coeli Carr, “Pimp My Garage,” Time magazine, Oct. 1, 2006.
Door & Access Systems has been talking about garage makeovers since 2002. Now, Time magazine has covered this hot topic.
“Even as the housing market cools, one segment of it appears to be bucking the trend: garage remodeling,” writes reporter Carr. According to Harvard statistics for 2003, homeowners spent $2.4 billion on replacing or improving their garages, twice the average.
Garage organization franchises are expanding, and Home Depot now offers garage-organization and remodeling services in 700 of its 1,840 U.S. stores. The fastest growth is reported to come from projects in the $8,000-10,000 range.
Some say that a lagging housing market is good for the garage, as more people pour more money into upgrading the space in their existing homes.
Editor’s Note: As Americans see greater value in their garages, they will see greater value in their garage doors. This trend can only be good for our industry.
Glass Garage Doors Get Glamorized
Source: Mary Thurman Yuhas, “Open Up With Glass Garage Doors,” USA Today, Nov. 2, 2006.
“Glass-paneled garage doors, used in place of windows and walls, are opening up living spaces like never before.” That’s how this USA Today feature story begins.
Reporter Yuhas cites architects who have found the appeal of aluminum/glass residential garage doors such as those offered by Clopay and Overhead Door.
An HGTV editor says he sees more higher-end homes using garage doors as a “very economical” removable wall that opens to a deck or patio. A Sacramento homeowner, who had two of the doors installed for $1,500, says that a set of French doors would have cost twice that.
Editor’s Note: When this reporter called me, she was ecstatic about these doors. Our industry benefits when the mainstream media are fascinated with our products, their aesthetic appeal, and their economical value.