With cold temperatures on their way, the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal encourages residents to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning by ensuring their homes have working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. As you rolled back your clock an hour this weekend, you should have also checked the batteries in these devices.  Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas byproduct of burning fossil fuels.  At elevated levels, carbon monoxide C.O. causes sickness and, if not detected, death.  Simply having working carbon monoxide detectors in your home and regularly testing them can prevent awful consequences.  Fossil fuels like natural gas are used to heat the vast majority of American homes, and faulty heating equipment accounts for nearly one third of accidental carbon monoxide deaths.  These can include your home heating system, improperly vented gas appliances, kerosene or propane space heaters, charcoal grills and Sterno-type fuels.  Symptoms of C.O. poisoning are very similar to those of the flu and include headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea and dizziness.  Other signs of possible CO presence include condensation on walls and windows, house plants dying, house pets becoming sluggish and chronic odors from malfunctioning appliances.  If you suspect you may be experiencing carbon monoxide poisoning, go outside for fresh air immediately and call 911 either on your mobile phone outside or from a neighbor’s home.