For Your Health: Avoiding Carbon Monoxide poisoning In the Home.

Carbon monoxide ( CO ) is an odorless, colorless gas which is the byproduct of incomplete combustion of carbon in fuels and oxygen, which for the purpose of this article stems from household gas appliances.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 200 carbon monoxide deaths related to the use of all types of combustible appliances in the home occur each year, not to mention individuals becoming ill from the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning. In addition to those diagnosed, there are numerous people becoming ill from CO effects but being mis-diagnosed and thus are going uncounted.

Symptoms include fatigue, headaches, dizziness and weakness. In higher levels or longer exposures, it can cause sleepiness, confusion, nausea and vomiting, and then at higher levels, death.

Techical stuff:  Hemoglobin in your red blood cells carry oxygen to your tissues.  With carbon monoxide present, the CO is more attractive to the hemoglobin in your red blood cells, and carries the CO instead of the oxygen, and your tissues starve.

Some sources of CO in the home come from car exhaust in the garage, using a charcoal grill in within the house, loose and disconnected vent pipes on water heaters or gas furnaces, using a gas generator within the house, a malfunctioning water heater, or furnace.

 

These photo shows the absence of a flue vent to carry away CO and othe biproducts of cumbustion. This particular condition should be corrected immediately.

 

This brings us to the important issues.  If you have any gas appliances, or other fuel burning appliances, these should be checked on an annual basis, and a great time is to have everything checked when you have your furnace serviced in the fall. ( Servicing does not mean when it breaks, it means preventative maintenance!)

Although carbon monoxide alarms are not mandatory everywhere yet, if you have gas appliances, placing several CO monitors in your home could save a life!

To read more on carbon monoxide and other indoor polutants, go to:

www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/452.html

www.epa.gov/air/urbanair/co/hlth1/html