Carbon Monoxide and Your Home
What is carbon monoxide?
• CO is a colourless, odorless, tasteless gas.
• It is a by-product of incomplete combustion (unburned fuel such as gas, oil, wood, etc.)
• Low concentrations of CO can go undetected and can contribute to ongoing, unidentified illnesses. At high concentrations, it can be deadly.
Why is it dangerous?
If there is CO in the air you breath, it will enter your blood system the same way oxygen does, through your lungs. The CO displaces the oxygen in your blood, depriving your body of oxygen. When the CO displaces enough oxygen, you suffocate.
What are the symptoms?
Continued exposure or high concentrations
• Confusion
• Severe headaches
• Cardiac problems
• Breathing difficulties
• Brain damage
• Dizziness
• Death
Long term exposure to low concentrations
• Slight headaches
• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath with only moderate exertion
• Nausea
• Dizziness and confusion
Why is it called the “great immitator”?
• Symptoms of CO poisoning are very similar to the flu.
• Illness in your pets just preceding illness in a family member may suggest CO poisoning.
Who is at greater risk?
• Senior citizens
• Unborn babies
• People with respiratory or coronary problems
• Infants
• Pregnant women
• Young children
Note: Vulnerable people who are exposed even to low levels of CO for long time periods may have similar health affects as those exposed to high concentrations of CO.
What can produce CO in our homes?
Anything that burns fuel or generates combustion gases including
• Gas Stoves
• Fireplaces
• Automobiles
• Barbecues
• Furnaces
• Ranges
• Boilers
• Space heaters
• Water heaters
Solid fuels, such as wood, always produce carbon monoxide when they are burned. Gas and liquid fuels may produce no CO or very little.
What are the most common sources of carbon monoxide?
1. Automobile exhaust in attached garages. This is responsible for 60% of all CO alarms. People who warm their cars up in the garage are trapping CO inside the garage. The CO can find its way into the home.
2. Gas cooking appliances. Reported to account for 20% of CO alarms. May be a result of a misused, poorly maintained, poorly installed, or unvented cooking appliance.
3. Poor draft/venting for fuel burning appliances. This is one of the most common and serious causes for CO build up and has been reported to account for up to 19% of CO alarms. The products of combustion are not being safely expelled to the exterior. This could be due to venting problems, such as blocked chimney flues or inadequate venting for appliances or fireplaces. Other problems include poor installation and negative air pressure in the house, causing backdrafting, often due to exhaust fans.
4. Poor combustion at furnace. Inadequate combustion air to the furnace can result in incomplete combustion. If the furnace has a cracked heat exchanger, it is possible to get CO into the circulating air. It is also imperative that we do not deprive our heating equipment and fuel burning appliances of air; especially in air-tight homes where running exhaust fans can result in a shortage of combustion air. Combustion air is essential for safe operation of furnaces, water heaters, and other fuel burning equipment.
5. Leakage. A leak in a chimney or flue pipe.
6. Ventilation. Barbecues or gasoline powered equipment operating in a attached garage, basement, or enclosed area.
Are there more problems with carbon monoxide today than 30 years ago?
Yes, due to:
• More energy-efficient, air-tight homes
• Less natural ventilation
How can I guard against carbon monoxide poisoning?
The first line of defense is to have your home heating systems, fuel burning appliances, flues and chimneys checked and/or cleaned annually.
Inspection checklist:
• Blocked openings to flues and chimneys
• Cracked,rusted,or disconnected flue pipes
• Dirty filters
• Rusted or cracked heat exchangers
• Soot or creosote build-up inside fireplaces and chimney flues
• Exhaust or gas odours.
• Attached garages require gas proofing and automatic closers for doors into the home
• Adequate combustion air
• Adequate venting on indoor combustion appliances (i.e. gas stoves)
The second line of defense is a CO detector.
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Contact the Jeffrey Team for more information - 416-388-1960
