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Cold Weather Can Be Dangerous If Furnace Isn't Working Properly

(CBS) -- The cold weather can be dangerous both outside, and inside your home if your furnace isn't working properly.

CBS 2's Mike Parker reports being home in this weather can have its dangers. Trying to heat a cold house with the burners on your gas stove or your oven can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

"Carbon monoxide is colorless, it is ordorless and it is tasteless…and very deadly," said Darade Collins of Nicor Gas.

Make sure carbon monoxide detector is working, that your furnace is vented to the outside and make sure the flue is open before you light the fireplace.

"A lot of fireplaces are just for decoration so they don't even know anything about the flue," Collins said.

Collins is Nicor's number one "go to" first responder to carbon monoxide incidents. His is possibly life-saving advice.

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