Portable Generators Are One Of The Leading Causes Of Post Storm Carbon Monoxide Deaths, And Federal Officials Say Never Run One Closer Than 20 Feet From Your House

The storm passes, the power goes out, and the most dangerous part begins. Federal safety officials say the deadliest hours often come after the wind dies down.

Gray electrical transformer and power equipment at a substation under a blue sky

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission put out a post-storm warning on October 9 aimed at anyone who might lose power. It singles out one gas in particular, and one machine that makes it.

The advice comes from the agency’s release 27-023, and it applies to any home that relies on a generator, a gas stove or a fireplace when the lights go out.

The Gas You Cannot See Or Smell

Carbon monoxide is described by the agency as “a colorless, odorless gas that can kill within minutes”. There is no warning from your nose, which is why people can be overcome before they understand anything is wrong.

Portable generators are named as one of the leading causes of carbon monoxide deaths after storms. Families run them to keep the refrigerator cold and the phones charged, and some run them in a garage or near a window.

Twenty Feet Is The Rule

The commission says to run a portable generator outdoors, at least 20 feet from the home. That distance is meant to keep exhaust away from doors, windows and vents.

It also advises buying a generator with a carbon monoxide shutoff, and looking for models certified to PGMA G300-2023 and UL 2201-2023. Those safety standards are listed on the packaging of compliant units.

A garage with the door open is not outdoors. Neither is a porch, a basement or a spot right beside a window.

Alarms On Every Level

The agency recommends carbon monoxide alarms on every level of the home, outside sleeping areas and inside each bedroom. The point is that a sleeping person will not notice symptoms.

Test each alarm now, before a storm is in the forecast.
Replace batteries on the schedule printed in the manual.
Check the date on the back of the alarm, since units wear out.
Keep spare batteries with your flashlights.

Set Up Before You Need It

Most of this is easy in a calm moment and hard in the dark. A short checklist helps.

Decide now where the generator will sit outdoors and how the cord will reach what you need. Measure out the 20 feet so you can set it up fast. Keep fuel in approved containers and away from the house.

Put new batteries in the flashlights and keep them in a drawer you can find by feel. Keep a battery-powered radio too if you have one.

Know The Symptoms

Headache, dizziness, nausea and confusion can all be signs of carbon monoxide exposure. They can look like the flu, and everyone in the house may feel sick at once.

If an alarm sounds or several people feel ill, get everyone outside into fresh air and call emergency services. Do not go back in to find the source.

This Is Not Only About Hurricanes

The warning followed a storm, but the same hazard shows up in winter. Ice storms and heavy snow knock out power across the country, and the temptation to run a generator in the garage is the same.

With cold weather close, it is worth reading the instructions that came with your generator while you can still do it in daylight. If you have never run it, run it once outside to be sure it starts and that you know how to shut it off.

If you do not own a generator, the same advice covers a camp stove or a gas grill. Neither belongs indoors, no matter how cold it gets.

Small Habits That Save Lives

Tell everyone in the household where the generator is allowed and where it is not. Children, guests and neighbors who help in an emergency may not know the rule.

Keep the area around the unit clear and dry, and let it cool before refueling. Those habits cost nothing, and they matter most when everyone is tired and stressed.

Talk To Your Neighbors

Outages hit whole blocks. A quick conversation with the people next door about who has a generator, who has a medical need and who has an elderly relative alone can make the difference when roads are closed.

Share the 20 foot rule with them. A neighbor’s generator placed too close to your window can still send exhaust into your home, so politely mention it if you notice.

Write down the phone numbers of your utility company and local emergency services on paper, since a dead phone battery removes your contacts.

Food And Water Basics

Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. Plan simple meals that need no cooking, and keep bottled water on hand.

Willow and Hearth