With furnaces running during the cold winter months the chance of carbon monoxide poisoning increases. Knoxville Fire Chief Mike Roberts urges all residents to make sure there is a carbon monoxide detector in place in their homes and check the battery back ups in them regularly. Roberts says if you show symptoms of the flu but they seem to go away after being outside or away from you home for a few hours odds are it is not the flu and could be carbon monoxide poisoning. Symptoms include headaches, dizziness and nausea.

Anyone who thinks they might have a leak in their home that could cause such poisoning is urged to contact their utility companies to have a professional come assess the situation.