HEALTH FEATURE ARCHIVE
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, Is Your Home Safe?
1. What is carbon monoxide (CO) and how is it produced in the home?
2. How many
people are unintentionally poisoned by CO?
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas. It is produced
by the incomplete burning of solid, liquid, and gaseous fuels. Appliances fueled
with natural gas, liquified petroleum (LP gas), oil, kerosene, coal, or wood may
produce CO. Burning charcoal produces CO. Running cars produce CO.
Every year, over 200 people in the United States die from CO
fuel-burning appliances (furnaces, ranges, water heaters, room heaters). Others
die from CO produced while burning charcoal inside a home, garage, vehicle or
tent. Still others die from CO produced by cars left running in attached
garages. Several thousand people go to hospital emergency rooms for treatment
for CO poisoning.
3. What are the symptoms of CO poisoning?
The initial symptoms of CO poisoning are similar to the flu (but without the
fever). They include:
- Shortness of breath
people with CO poisoning mistake their symptoms for the flu or are misdiagnosed
by physicians, which sometimes results in tragic deaths.
4. What should you do to
prevent CO poisoning?
- Make sure appliances are installed according to manufacturer's instructions
and local building codes. Most appliances should be installed by professionals.
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 appliances that can produce CO. Install a CO detector/alarm in the
hallway near every separate sleeping area of the home. Make sure the detector
cannot be covered up by furniture or draperies.
- Never burn charcoal inside a home, garage, vehicle, or tent.
- Never use portable fuel-burning camping equipment inside a home, garage,
vehicle, or tent.
- Never leave a car running in an attached garage, even with the garage door
- Never service fuel-burning appliances without proper knowledge, skills, and
tools. Always refer to the owner's manual when performing minor adjustments or
servicing fuel-burning appliances.
- Never use gas appliances such as ranges, ovens, or clothes dryers for heating
- Never operate unvented fuel-burning appliances in any room with closed doors
or windows or in any room where people are sleeping.
- Do not use gasoline-powered tools and engines indoors. If use is unavoidable,
ensure that adequate ventilation is available and whenever possible place engine
unit to exhaust outdoors.
5. What CO level is dangerous to your health?
The health effects of CO depend on the level of CO and length of exposure, as
well as each individual's health condition. The concentration of CO is measured
in parts per million (ppm). Health effects from exposure to CO levels of
approximately 1 to 70 ppm are uncertain, but most people will not experience any
symptoms. Some heart patients might experience an increase in chest pain. As CO
levels increase and remain above 70 ppm, symptoms may become more noticeable
(headache, fatigue, nausea). As CO levels increase above 150 to 200 ppm,
disorientation, unconsciousness, and death are possible.
6. What should you do if
you are experiencing symptoms of CO poisoning?
- If you think you are experiencing any of the symptoms of CO poisoning, get
fresh air immediately.
- Open windows and doors for more ventilation, turn off any
combustion appliances, and leave the house.
- Call your fire department and report
your symptoms. You could lose consciousness and die if you do nothing. It is
also important to contact a doctor immediately for a proper diagnosis. Tell your
doctor that you suspect CO poisoning is causing your problems. Prompt medical
attention is important if you are experiencing any symptoms of CO poisoning when
you are operating fuel-burning appliances.
- Before turning your fuel-burning
appliances back on, make sure a qualified service person checks them for
7. What has changed in CO detectors/alarms recently?
CO detectors/alarms always have been and still are designed to alarm before
potentially life-threatening levels of CO are reached. The UL standard 2034
(1998 revision) has stricter requirements that the detector/alarm must meet
before it can sound. As a result, the possibility of nuisance alarms is