CO2 Protection

Carbon Monoxide. You Can’t Smell It, Taste It, or See It.

The news of the death of former tennis star Vitas Gerulatis due to carbon monoxide poisoning has brought the carbon monoxide issue to the forefront for many Americans. With the potential for hazardous accumulations of this deadly gas in the home, homeowners are advised to take precautionary steps to ensure that they are not at risk.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) states that consumers can guard against carbon monoxide poisoning by having home fuel-burning appliances inspected by a qualified heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) technician each year before the home heating season begins and by installing detectors or alarms to detect harmful levels of this colorless and odorless gas. Only alarms which meet an Underwriters Laboratories standard should be installed within the home. Microprocessor-based, hard-wired units with back-up batteries are preferred.

Steps to guard your home from carbon monoxide:

Have furnace, gas water heaters, gas refrigerators, gas stoves and gas dryers checked for carbon monoxide leads by a professional HVAC technician. Have the technician check your heat exchangers for cracks.
Have a professional HVAC technician clean your furnace each year so that it runs at peak performance. A well running appliance will emit less carbon monoxide.
Make sure chimneys, vents and stacks are free from snow, bird nests and other possible clogs. Chimneys, vent pipes, and flues should also be checked for leaks and blockages as well as proper drafting.
Check gas dryer vents for lint buildup.
Limit use of unvented burners or heaters in your home, and don’t use overnight. When using unvented burners in a camper or small cabin, make sure ventilation is adequate.
Initiating these steps can save lives. CPSC blames carbon monoxide for some 250 deaths and 5,000 emergency room visits in the U.S. each year. At low levels it is an irritant and at higher levels it is deadly.

Note: Exposure to carbon monoxide can be hazardous, even deadly.

Carbon monoxide may produce flu-like symptoms - headache, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, irregular breathing, or eye irritation.
Over time, carbon monoxide poisoning may result in confusion, disorientation, physical collapse, and death. The very young, the elderly, people with heart disease, and those under the influence of alcohol, drugs or medication are particularly susceptible.
Other indications of dangerous carbon monoxide levels include dying of house plants, an unidentified chronic odor inside the home, discoloration or soot buildup near air outlets.

If you suspect that you have carbon monoxide in the home, immediately contact your HVAC contractor to check for the presence of excessive carbon monoxide levels.

Healthy Homes Magazine Š1995