Carbon Monoxide Facts
Carbon Monoxide Facts
Carbon monoxide is a very poisonous gas with no taste, no colour and no smell. It can be produced by a boiler when there is insufficient oxygen in the air supply to the combustion chamber, it is also produced by faulty gas fires and other gas appliances. Carbon Dioxide is the normal output from a boiler but this can be replaced by Carbon Monoxide with reduced ventilation or a blocked flue. With high standards of boiler servicing and strict ventilation regulations the number of people killed by Carbon Monoxide has reduced to 30 people each year although many more are seriously injured.
What are the risks with CO poisoning?
Carbon monoxide kills so do not take any risks if you suspect you may be suffering from inhalation of the gas. There are no second chances with poisoning from this gas so do not delay if you suspect anything. Seek help without delay. Any member of the family can be affected by carbon monoxide regardless of their age. Pets can also be impacted.
What might I see if there was carbon monoxide in my home?
The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning can often be confused with other flu like illnesses and include:-
- ongoing headaches
- queasiness
- extreme tiredness
- nausea
Stop using any gas appliances if you notice such symptoms and ensure that there is good ventilation to the room. As a precaution ask everyone to vacate the room and get the appliances inspected by a properly qualified (CORGI) engineer.
What actions can I take to reduce the chances of Carbon Monoxide poisoning?
The underlying cause of carbon monoxide production is lack of ventilation to a gas flame. Gas appliance combustion problems can be avoided by adopting a regular appliance servicing schedule by trained appliance engineers. To guarantee compliance with the gas appliance servicing regulations make sure that the gas engineer you hire to service your appliances has CORGI registration. You can now buy electronic, battery powered, carbon monoxide detectors which sound an alarm on detection of high levels of the gas. You should also keep air vents in doors, walls or windows clear – never cover them up to prevent draughts. Moving outside your property take a look at all ventilation ducts and air bricks to ensure that they have not been covered by plant growth.
If your home has a chimney to provide appliance ventilation look out for birds nests in the spring as the creation of a nest in a chimney which is not being used in the warm weather could completely block the ventilation when required in the winter. Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors make different sounds. You should ensure that your family are aware of the differences so that they take the correct action when one of your detectors is triggered.
Can I look at my gas appliances to see if carbon monoxide could be a problem?
Carbon Dioxide production is often a result of incomplete combustion and this can be seen as the deposit of soot discolouring surfaces near your gas appliances. Another way to check for gas burning problems is to inspect pilot lights and see whether they are burning with a yellow or other colour flame rather than the blue light of a well maintained system. Changes in the colour of the pilot light indicate that all is not well with the boiler and it should be serviced as soon as time permits.
Install a carbon monoxide detector to protect your home
Early advice of rising levels of CO can give people enough time to leave a building before the symptoms of CO poisoning occur. The installation of CO detectors gives this warning. Carbon monoxide alarms will sound the alarm before the concentrations of gas have reached the levels where an adult would be effected. Smoke detectors are installed near the ceiling as smoke rises, this is not true of carbon monoxide and hence these detectors can be installed lower on the wall. Carbon Monoxide detectors should be installed where the alarm can be heard from your bedroom, you need to be woken quickly should the alarm be triggered.
What are the main CO detector features?
Ensure that the detector you get is certified to British Standards and has a loud alarm. You will need to evacuate the room quickly if levels of carbon monoxide rise and you don’t want to have to keep checking the battery condition. As a result buy a detector with an audible, ear piercing alarm and a long battery life (aim for 5 years). If you have a choice pay more to get the battery powered electronic detectors rather than chemical based models using chemical reactions and colour changes to show an alarm as these may not be noticed in time. Chemical CO detectors loose their effectiveness after 6 months and have to be changed, this increases the lifetime cost and puts you at risk if you forget to change the detector when it has expired. Chemical detectors lack of loud alarms prevents them from waking your family at night time if CO levels rise and this could be a major safety issue. You can purchase both types of alarms from the local DIY shop.
Are you able to purchase carbon monoxide detectors?
CO detectors are important household aids in detecting carbon monoxide and giving early warning of potential problems. Several different and relatively inexpensive detectors are available in stores. Carbon monoxide detectors are designed to react to the accumulation of the gas over time. The technology in carbon monoxide detectors is not yet as reliable as that used in smoke detectors but it is becoming more so over time. You should ensure you have regular servicing of your appliances and treat your carbon monoxide detector as a secondary, backup measure. It is not your first line of defence.
Test your CO Detectors
Make a note to test your detector on a regular basis to ensure it is working. Detectors should come with instructions detailing the steps to take to check the effective functioning of the detector. Check your carbon monoxide detector every month to confirm that it is working as designed, replace it without delay if any problems are identified. Do not assume that any ‘test’ button tests the detector, often this functionality only checks the battery and the audible alarm. After 48 months (2 years) some detectors may need to be replaced and you should check how long your detector will operate. Some detectors last up to 5 years and operate off the mains or battery. You will need to select a model that meets your needs. To reduce installation requirements some detectors sold combine both smoke and carbon monoxide detectors but you should check the installation instructions from the manufacturer to see how these should be installed.