Do you have a hidden killer in your home?

Since Home Comfort By Service Denver Plumbing, Heating & Cooling began making people aware of the benefits of carbon monoxide detectors, We’ve had a lot of people ask just how common carbon monoxide poisoning in the home really is. They also want to in the home really is. They also want to know where it comes from and what precautions they can take. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, carbon monoxide (CO) is the leading cause of fatal poisonings in America! This data may be somewhat misleading because it includes suicides, usually from auto exhaust fumes inside an enclosed garage.

The Characteristics that make CO a favored method of taking one’s own life are the same that make it such an insidious danger to people not so inclined. It is a tasteless, colorless and odorless gas. People can succumb to it with very little physical discomfort – almost like falling asleep. At exposures in the range of 10%, CO poisoning can give symptoms of fatigue, dizzy spells, headaches and nausea. Often people sickened by CO think they have the flu or food poisoning, and it is easy for medical professionals to misdiagnose the symptoms. Exposure to levels of 40% and more can lead to brain damage and death.

CO is given off by incomplete combustion of flammable fuels such as natural gas, oil, wood, coal or kerosene. Under normal circumstances the main by-products of combustion are carbon dioxide (CO2) and water vapor, substances normally exhaled when we breathe. However, when there is inadequate air to support combustion, it produces less CO2 and more CO, which instead of being exhaled, is absorbed into the body through the lungs and deprives body tissues of oxygen.

Common household appliances such as furnaces, boilers, water heaters and stoves are all potential sources of CO gas. All of these products are designed with elaborate safe-guards and under normal operating conditions the CO produced from combustion will be harmlessly vented to the atmosphere. Leaks or blockages in the vent system are the most common way for CO to back up into a dwelling space. Cracks or corrosion in a furnace’s heat exchanger also can lead to danger.

Our national quest for energy efficiency has substantially elevated the hazard of CO poisoning. Tightly insulated modern homes trap exhaust gases inside. Also, the more efficiently burning furnaces and boilers of today contribute indirectly to greater CO hazards. For instance, high-efficiency heating units produce a greater amount of condensate in the flue system. This condensate is highly acidic and over time eats away at chimney masonry and metal piping components of the flue system, leading to crumbling that may block the exhaust passage.

There are a number of CO detection devices now on the market. At the low end of the scale are chemical patches that change color in the presence of CO gas (around $5-$10).

At the other end of the spectrum are ultra-sophisticated professional CO detectors that sell for around $800. In between is a variety of alarms on the market that operate much like smoke detectors – and even look like smoke detectors. They generally sell in the $50-$100 price range. Some, but not all, are UL-approved, an important consideration for anyone looking to buy one.

CO detectors have not yet reached anywhere near the degree of consumer popularity as smoke alarms. This may change as prices come down and local governments begin mandating them. The Chicago Building Code, for example, recently adopted a provision requiring CO alarms on every new residential furnace installation. This was in reaction to a horrible tragedy in 1991 in which a family of 10 died because of a CO leak.

There are some industry professionals who maintain that the CO danger is blown out of proportion, and that relying on detection devices for protection may be counterproductive. While deadly, CO poisoning is far less common than the number one cause of home fatalities and injuries – fire. Also, CO detectors may provide a false sense of security. Any detection device can malfunction and even the most reliable CO alarms can be misled if put in the wrong location.

Ultimately there is no better way to guard against the hazards of CO than to have your heating system inspected at least once a year by a competent professional who can spot danger signs and make repairs before they become life threatening.