Security Home

Carbon Monoxide – What You Need to Know

If you use gas, wood, oil, or coal as fuel for your home, you and your family may be at risk for carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.  Carbon monoxide is extremely difficult to detect because it is colourless and has no smell or taste.  Although carbon-based fuels are safe to use under proper conditions, these fuels become quite dangerous when they do not burn completely and emit CO into the air.

When carbon monoxide is breathed into the body, it combines with the haemoglobin in the blood.  Haemoglobin is the part of the red blood cells that carries oxygen to all parts of the body.  When carbon monoxide is mixed with haemoglobin, the bodys cells, tissues, and organs cannot receive oxygen, and they begin to die.  Over time, even small amounts of carbon monoxide in the blood over time can be fatal or cause paralysis and brain damage.

The first effects of carbon monoxide may be dismissed as the onset of a common illness.  The headaches, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness and stomach pains that accompany CO poisoning may be passed off as the effects of food poisoning, a virus, the flu, or exhaustion.  Carbon monoxide poisoning can also produce pains in the chest, breathlessness, erratic behaviour, and visual problems.

Two of the most prevalent causes of CO poisoning in the home are flues and gas appliances.  According to the HSE (Health and Safety Executive), an average of twenty people in the UK die every year from carbon monoxide poisoning.  Most home CO poisoning cases are the result of gas applicances or flues that are not installed correctly or are not maintained as instructed.  There is a higher risk of carbon monoxide poisoning if there is not plenty of fresh air circulating throughout the home.

Educating yourself about carbon monoxide poisoning is the first step in protecting your family.  Even if you take all the necessary precautions, you are at risk for CO poisoning if there is a carbon-based fuel appliance in your home.  Share the information about carbon monoxide poisoning with family members so that everyone is aware of the dangers and symptoms.  One good preventive measure is to install a carbon monoxide alarm.  Compliance with British Standard EN 50291 and a British or European approval mark are two criteria to look for when you purchase a CO alarm.  Choose an audible carbon monoxide alarm so that your family can be alerted to the presence CO even during their sleeping hours.

Insist on a CORGI-registered technician when you install a flue or gas appliance in your home.  CORGI-registered installers are trained to set up your appliance or flue accordingly to safe procedures.  Once your appliance or flue is installed, have it inspected once a year by a CORGI-registered professional to make sure everything is operating properly and there are no safety risks to your family from carbon monoxide.  To prevent CO problems from your flue, hire a professional chimney sweep to thoroughly clean it every year.

About the Author

Tal Potishman, editor of Heating Central, writes articles about boilers, central heating, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne plumbers, underfloor heating and solar thermal. He specializes in helping save money by advising on efficient heating.

First Alert CO615 Carbon Monoxide Plug-In Alarm with Battery Backup and Digital Display.avi

Kidde KN-COSM-B Battery-Operated Combination Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Alarm with Talking Alarm $64.97 The Kidde KN-COSM-B Battery-Operated Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Alarm combines two important safety devices into a single unit. This alarm includes a voice warning system that announces “Fire, Carbon Monoxide, Low Battery, or Smart Hush Activation.” The voice alarm eliminates any confusion and clearly warns you and your family of a smoke or carbon monoxide danger, or if your battery is in need of r…

First Alert CO615 Carbon Monoxide Plug-In Alarm with Battery Backup and Digital Display $28.00 Carbon monoxide (CO) is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in America, yet many people don’t know they are suffering from CO poisoning until its too late. Since symptoms of CO poisoning are like the flu, you might not even know you’re in danger at first. That’s why a carbon monoxide alarm is an excellent way to protect your family. It can detect the CO you can’t see, smell or taste i…

Kidde KN-COSM-IB Hardwire Combination Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Alarm with Battery Backup and Voice Warning, Interconnectable $30.99 Untitled Document .caption { font-family: Verdana, Helvetica neue, Arial, serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; } ul.indent { list-style: inside disc; text-indent: 20px; } table.callout { font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, serif; margin: 10px; width: 250; } td.callout3-c26 { height: 100 percent; background: url(‘http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/th/detail-p…

First Alert Sco7cn Battery Operated Combination Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Alarm With Voice Location (Smoke/Carbon Detectors / Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detectors) $43.73 FIRST ALERT SCO7CN BATTERY OPERATED COMBINATION SMOKE/CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM WITH VOICE LOCATION. TALKING SMOKE & CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM, PHOTOELECTRIC SMOKE-SENSING TECHNOLOGY, ECO FRIENDLY, REMOTE-CONTROLLED MUTE, USES ELECTROCHEMICAL CARBON MONOXIDE SENSOR, REDUCES NUISANCE ALARMS, VOICE LOCATION ANNOUNCES WHERE FIRE OR CARBON MONOXIDE IS LOCATED…

First Alert Sa511cn2-3St Onelink Wireless Battery Operated Smoke Alarm With Voice Location, 2 Pk (Smoke/Carbon Detectors / Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detectors) FIRST ALERT SA511CN2-3ST ONELINK WIRELESS BATTERY OPERATED SMOKE ALARM WITH VOICE LOCATION, 2 PK. ECO FRIENDLY, PHOTOELECTRIC SMOKE DETECTING, REDUCES NUISANCE ALARMS, VOICE LOCATION ANNOUNCES WHERE FIRE OR CARBON MONOXIDE IS LOCATED, EASY-TO-USE MUTE BUTTON, RF INTERCONNECT, 2 PK…

MTI Industries 30-442-WT 12-V Flush Mount LP Gas Detector $54.95 MTI INDUSTRIES 30-442-WT DETECTOR LP 12V FLUSH MNT…

Safety Siren Pro Series HS71512 3 Radon Gas Detector $128.88 Digital Continuous Radon Gas Monitoring with Home Radon Alarm Protect your family from lung cancer from radon gas exposure with the only EPA evaluated radon gas alarm, the Safety Siren Pro 3 Electronic Radon Gas Detector from Family Safety Products. As seen on TV, this is not like a single use radon test detection kit: this digital radon gas monitor for home testing is a continuous radon tester th…

Safety Siren Combination Gas Detector Model HS80504 $55.49 Keep your family safe with the Safety Siren combination gas detector. The model # HS80504 protects your home and family from dangerous levels of Carbon Monoxide (often referred to as “The Silent Killer” because it is odorless, tasteless and colorless), in addition to Methane (Natural Gas), and Propane, the most common combustible gases found in the residential environment. Simply plug into any 110…

Honeywell 5808W3 Wireless Photoelectric Smoke/Heat Detector $72.00 Honeywells 5808W3 is a 3V lithium powered, photoelectronic smoke/heat detector with a built-in wireless transmitter. It is intended for use with any 5800 Series Wireless Receiver/Transceiver for residential installations (for commercial installations, the 5881ENHC or the 5883H receiver is required)….