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Carbon Monoxide: What you should know
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1.  What is Carbon Monoxide?
2.  The Health Effects of Carbon Monoxide
3.  Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
4.  Sources of Carbon Monoxide in the Home
5.  How to Choose a CO Detector
6.  Where to Locate a CO Detector
7.  What to do in a CO Alarm Situation

What is Carbon Monoxide?

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colourless, odourless and tasteless gas that is poisonous and potentially lethal. CO is a by-product of incomplete combustion. It is produced when flammable fuels such as natural gas, propane gas, heating oil, kerosene, coal, charcoal, gasoline or wood burn with insufficient oxygen.

The Health Effects of Carbon Monoxide

When we breathe air containing carbon monoxide, it is absorbed through the bloodstream where it displaces oxygen and bonds with the hemoglobin in your blood. Carbon Monoxide has a greater affinity to hemoglobin than oxygen; CO bonds to hemoglobin about 250 times better than oxygen. Without oxygen, vital organs, your heart and brain become deprived and will begin to deteriorate. To compensate, your heart rate increases, breathing may become difficult and in the most serious circumstances cardiac trauma, brain damage, coma and even death will result.

Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

CO poisoning is difficult to diagnose because its symptoms are similar to illnesses such as the flu or the start of a cold. Early warning signs of carbon monoxide poisoning are:

headache
dizziness
nausea
fatigue

If exposure to carbon monoxide continues, symptoms will often become worse and include severe headaches, mental confusion. vomiting, vision and hearing impairment and eventually unconsciousness. When CO poisoning reaches this stage, CO can cause memory loss, permanent brain damage, coma and eventually death.

Progressive CO Poisoning Symptoms - Time v/s Exposure
Time in Hours. Exposure in level of CO (Parts Per Million)

 

 Hour 1

  Hour 2  Hour 4  Hour 8  Hour 12  Hour 16  Hour 24
35              
50              
75              
100              
200              
400              
Early symptoms include headache, dizziness, nausea, fatigue
Severe headache, nausea, vomiting, mental confusion, vision and hearing impairment, faintness
Ataxia, myocardial ischemia, amnesia, cognitive impairment, unconsciousness, coma
Unlikely to survive

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Sources of Carbon Monoxide in the Home

Potential sources of carbon monoxide in the home:

  • Clogged chimney 

  • Wood stove

  • Wood and gas firplace

  • Automobile in garage

  • Faulty gas water heater

  • Faulty gas appliances such as stove

  • Gas or kerosene heater

  • Faulty gas or oil furnace

  • Improper or defective flue and venting systems

Gas, oil and other fuel furnaces, water heaters, fireplaces, wood stoves and other gas-powered appliances all require oxygen to operate efficiently. If the home is too airtight, these devices may begin competing for the available oxygen. This may cause "backdrafting" which pulls CO contaminated air back into the home. 

As well, an airtight home may be more susceptible to carbon monoxide if  fans or other devices which pulls the air outdoors (such as bathroom or kitchen fans) are being used constantly. This creates a negative pressure in the home and may cause "backdrafting".

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How to Choose a CO Detector

  1. Consumers should consider ease of installation, the location of installation and the power source of  detector when choosing a plug-in, battery powered or hardwire model.
    - Plug-in units are designed to directly plug into a standard 120 volt electrical outlet for simple installation. This location provides easy access for both testing and resetting the alarm. A plug-in unit also requires no battery replacement. (Some newer plug-in models have a battery back-up).
    - Battery powered units can be easily mounted to a wall or ceiling if the consumer wishes to keep electrical outlets free or if they wish to keep the detector away from the reach of children. Some battery powered units are portable alarm that work anywhere - no installation required. These units may be mounted to a wall, left on a table top or carried while traveling. Battery powered units require battery replacement at least once a year, similar to smoke alarms. Ideally, a consumer should choose one that has a low battery warning signal to indicate when the batteries need replacing.
    - Hardwire units are powered by wiring the unit directly into a household's AC power supply at a junction box. They should be installed by a licensed electrician according to the local electrical code.

  2. Consumers should choose a CO alarm with features (e.g. low level; warning, battery back-up, digital display, etc.) that meet their needs.
    - Low level warning: some carbon monoxide alarms sound a warning (e.g. 3 short beeps) when a low level of CO has been detected.
    - Battery back-up: some plug-in detectors have a back-up power source that allows the unit to function in the event of a main line power failure. During a power outage, people are likely to use alternate sources of power, light and heat (e.g. kerosene heaters, gas powered portable generators and fireplaces) which may be out of tune and may produce CO.
    - Digital display: some CO detectors have a digital display that shows the levels of carbon monoxide in the air in parts per million.

  3. Consumers should choose a detector that has been accuracy tested and listed by the Underwriters Laboratories Inc. or Underwriters Laboratories of Canada.

  4. Consumers should compare alarm warranties and note any hidden costs. Most manufacturers offer a comprehensive warranty including the alarm's sensor. Consumers should be advised that some CO alarms require the purchase of an expensive replacement sensor and/or battery pack as an ongoing expense.

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Where to Locate a CO Detector

Carbon monoxide is almost identical in weight to normal air and thus will mix freely with air. For this reason detectors may be installed at any level in a room, from close to the floor level, to the ceiling.

If the CO detector is to be ceiling mounted, it should be installed away from any existing smoke alarms in order to allow for differentiation between a CO alarm and a smoke alarm in an emergency alarm situation.

Every home must have at least a CO alarm near the sleeping area of the home. For maximum protection, place one carbon monoxide alarm on every level of your home.

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What to do in a CO Alarm Situation

Consumers should consult their owner's manual for a CO alarm procedure. However, the following is a general procedure:

If a CO alarm sounds a low level warning or hazard level alarm, consumers should push the test/reset button to silence it. If no one in the household has any CO symptoms (headache, dizziness, nausea, fatigue), consumers should be advised to open the doors and windows to air out their house. They should immediately turn off any gas, oil or other fuel powered appliances including the furnace, boiler, water heater and fireplace and call a qualified technician for an inspection.

If anyone in the household does have signs of CO poisoning, consumers should leave their home immediately and call 911 for help. 

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