Did you know that November is Carbon Monoxide Awareness Month? Furthermore, would you know what to do in the event of a leak? Research carried out by npower has revealed some worrying statistics about our knowledge on the subject.

A massive 43% of us wouldn’t know what to do if there was a leak in our home. What’s more, only 5% of us would be able to recognise the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. This is despite 96% knowing that it can be fatal.

Kate and I have always had carbon monoxide detectors since shortly after we first moved in together. The boiler in our flat had seen better days and we both started getting headaches. We put two and two together, got outside and called the gas emergency number.

Fortunately, everything was okay. We were fine and there was nothing wrong with the boiler. Our minds must have been playing tricks on us but we weren’t embarrassed about getting it checked out. The old adage of better safe than sorry rings true here.

More than 200 people a year are admitted to hospital with poisoning and, tragically, around 50 die as a result.

Carbon monoxide is odourless as well as completely invisible so the only way to detect it is with a carbon monoxide alarm. And herein lies the problem – a third of UK homes don’t have one installed.

Take a moment to read some of the other statistics on this infographic. Read on afterwards though for details of a competition you won’t want to miss.

To raise awareness of carbon monoxide, npower is inviting children to draw the deadly gas in the form of monsters. I think this is a great idea. By giving carbon monoxide a memorable appearance, more people will be reminded of its dangers.

Speaking of this initiative, here’s your chance to win a Nest Protect smart smoke and carbon monoxide detector worth £109.

Share your kids’ drawings with the hashtag #COMonsters to either my Facebook or Twitter pages – tagging @DiaryOfTheDad – by 30 November. As well as being in with a chance of winning a device that could save your life, you’ll be helping raise awareness that could save those of others.

Alternatively, you can enter via the Rafflecopter widget below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In the meantime, why not find out more about carbon monoxide safety on the npower site?

Disclosure: this is a collaborative post.