Carbon Monoxide Problems

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Highly poisonous carbon monoxide (CO) is produced by the incomplete combustion of the fossil fuels -- gas, oil, coal and wood used in boilers, engines, oil burners, gas fired heaters, water heaters, solid fuel appliances and open fires.

Toxic or lethal amounts of CO can accumulate when fuel is not burned properly (1) as a result of poor installation, (2) poor maintenance or (3) failure of or damage to an appliance in service. Too, combustion byproducts can build up in rooms that are so poorly ventilated the CO is unable to escape.

Having no smell, taste or color, CO can kill without warning. Detection has become a must in today's world of improved insulation and double glazing. It has become increasingly important to have good ventilation, maintain all appliances regularly and to install absolutely reliable detector alarms, giving both a visual and audible warning immediately if there is a buildup of CO to dangerous levels. And it is for these reasons that CO detectors are the only way to alert you to increasingly dangerous levels of CO before tragedy strikes.

What Are the Effects of Carbon Monoxide?

Carbon monoxide poisons by entering the lungs via the normal breathing mechanism and displacing oxygen from the bloodstream. This interruption of the normal supply of oxygen puts at risk the functions of the heart, brain and other vital parts of the body.

The above information applies to a healthy adult. Persons suffering from heart or respiratory health problems, infants and small children, unborn children, expectant mothers and pets can be affected by CO poisoning more quickly than others in the household and may be the first to show symptoms.

The side-effects that can result from this low-level exposure include permanent organ and brain damage. Infants and the elderly are more susceptible than healthy adults, as are those with anemia or heart disease. The symptoms of low-level carbon monoxide poisoning are so easily mistaken for those of the common cold, flu or exhaustion that proper diagnosis can be delayed. Because of this, be sure to see your physician about persistent, flu-like symptoms, chronic fatigue or generalized depression.

Why is CO So Dangerous?

Carbon monoxide is dangerous because a person may not recognize drowsiness as a symptom of poisoning. Consequently, someone with mild poisoning can go to sleep and continue to breathe the carbon monoxide until severe poisoning or death occurs. Some people with long-standing mild carbon monoxide poisoning caused by furnaces or heaters may mistake their symptoms for other conditions, such as the flu or other viral infections. Carbon monoxide poisoning is diagnosed by measuring the level of carbon monoxide in the blood.

Why is Poisoning from Carbon Monoxide on the Rise?

1. Today’s houses are more air-tight due to energy conserving measures. Consequently, there is less fresh air coming into a home while not as many pathways exist for stale or polluted air to leave it. In turn, furnaces and boilers are starved of the oxygen needed to burn fuels completely and carbon monoxide is produced. Many newer houses are so airtight that powered exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathroom can overcome the draft in the furnace chimney and literally pull the toxic gases into the living space.
   
2. The new high-efficiency gas and oil furnaces, when hooked up to outdated flues, often do not perform at an optimum level. The differences in performance mean combustion byproducts can more easily enter home living spaces.
   
3. The above conditions join a number of older, ongoing problems including damaged or deteriorating flue liners, and soot build-up.

What Should You Do to Prevent CO Poisoning?

• Have the heating system (including chimneys and vents) inspected and serviced annually. The inspector should also check chimneys and flues for blockages, corrosion, partial and complete disconnections, and loose connections.
  
• Install a CO detector/alarm that meets the requirements of the current UL standard 2034 or the requirements of the IAS 6-96 standard. A carbon monoxide detector/alarm can provide added protection, but is no substitute for proper use and upkeep of your chimney and appliances that can produce CO.
  
• Never use portable fuel-burning camping equipment inside a home, garage, vehicle, or tent.
  
• Never service fuel-burning appliances without proper knowledge, skills, and tools. Call a professional who knows what to look for. When performing minor adjustments yourself, always refer to the owner's manual .
  
• Never operate unvented fuel-burning appliances in any room with closed doors or windows or in any room where people are sleeping.

Reprinted with permission from the Chimney Safety Institute of America, www.csia.org