EAST SIDE FIRE DEPARTMENT
CARBON MONOXIDE SAFETY TIPS
Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless, deadly gas. It can kill
you before you know it because you can't see it, taste
it or smell it. At lower levels of exposure, it can cause health
problems. Some people may be more vulnerable to CO
poisoning such as fetuses, infants, children, senior citizens and those
with heart or lung problems. When CO is breathed in by
an individual, it accumulates in the blood and forms a toxic compound
known as carboxyhemoglobin (COHb). Hemoglobin
carries oxygen in the bloodstream to cells and tissues. Carbon monoxide
attaches itself to hemoglobin and displaces the
oxygen that the body organs need.
Carboxyhemoglobin can cause headaches, fatigue, nausea, dizzy spells,
confusion and irritability. Later stages of CO
poisoning can cause vomiting, loss of consciousness and eventually brain
damage and/or death.
Carbon monoxide is a by-product of combustion of fossil fuels. Fumes
from automobiles contain high levels of CO.
Appliances such as furnaces, space heaters, clothes dryers, ranges,
ovens, water heaters, charcoal grills, fireplaces and
wood burning stoves produce CO. Carbon monoxide usually is vented to the
outside if appliances function correctly and the
home is vented properly. Problems occur when furnace heat exchanger
crack or vents and chimneys become blocked.
Insulation sometimes can trap CO in the home.
East Side Fire Department recommends installing at least one carbon
monoxide detector with an audible alarm near the bedrooms. If a home has
more than one story, a detector should be placed on each story.
Be sure the detector has a testing laboratory label.
The following is a checklist for where to look for problem sources of CO
in the home:
A forced air furnace is frequently the source of leaks and should be
carefully inspected.
Measure the concentration of carbon
monoxide in the flue gases.
Check furnace connections to flue
pipes and venting systems to
the outside of the home for signs of corrosion, rust gaps, holes.
Check furnace filters and filtering
systems for dirt and blockage.
Check forced air fans for proper
installation and to assure
correct air flow of flue gases. Improper furnace
blower installation can result in
carbon monoxide build-up
because toxic gas is blown into rather than out of the house.
Check the combustion chamber and
internal heat exchanger for
cracks, holes, metal fatigue or corrosion. Be
sure they are clean and free of
debris.
Check burners and ignition system.
A flame that is mostly
yellow in color in natural gas fired furnaces is often
a sign that the fuel is not burning
completely and higher
levels of carbon monoxide are being released. Oil
furnaces with similar problems can
give off an oily odor.
Remember you can't smell carbon monoxide.
Check all venting systems to the outside including flues and chimneys
for cracks, corrosion, holes, debris, blockages.
Animals and birds can build nests in chimneys preventing gases
from escaping.
Check all other appliances in the home that use flammable fuels such
as natural gas, oil, propane, wood or kerosene.
Appliances include water heaters, clothes dryers, kitchen ranges,
ovens or cook-tops, wood-burning stoves, and/or gas refrigerators.
Pilot lights can be a source of
carbon monoxide because the
by-products of combustion are released inside the
home rather than vented outside.
Be sure space heaters are vented
properly. Unvented space
heaters that use a flammable fuel such as
kerosene can release carbon
monoxide into the home.
Barbecue grills should never be
operated indoors under any
circumstances nor should stove tops or ovens that
operate on flammable fuels be used
to heat a residence.
Check fireplaces for closed,
blocked or bent flues, soot and debris.
Check the clothes dryer vent
opening outside the house for lint.