Carbon Monoxide Alarms
The cold weather of winter has everyone turning up the heat to escape the frigid temperatures. Now, along with the usual frosty air of winter, ‘tis the season, and with the Christmas holiday season comes extra usage of fireplaces and wood stoves. We are all busy stocking up on fire wood, hanging the Christmas lights, and cranking the thermostat. But as with all changes of season, there are certain steps we should all be taking to ensure safety and comfort is enjoyed along with the holidays. One of the more commonly overlooked safety requirements in a home is the carbon monoxide alarm!
More than 50 people die each year in Canada due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Hundreds of people are hospitalized each year, many of which are left permanently disabled. Over 88% of all homes in Canada have something that poses a carbon monoxide threat. Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colourless, odourless, tasteless, toxic gas that enters the body through the lungs during the normal breathing process. It replaces oxygen in the blood and prevents the flow of oxygen to the heart, brain and other vital organs. CO is produced when carbon-based fuels are incompletely burned. Common carbon based fuels include
wood, propane, natural gas, heating oil, coal, kerosene, charcoal, and gasoline. Common sources within the home for CO are wood burning/gas stoves, gas refrigerators, gasoline engines, kerosene heaters and others. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headache, nausea, burning eyes, confusion and drowsiness. It is often mistaken for common ailments like the flu. The symptoms will improve when you are away from the home for a long period of time. Symptoms will be experienced by more than one member of the household at a time. Continued exposure to higher levels of CO may result in loss of consciousness, brain damage, and death. The elderly, children and people with heart or respiratory conditions be particularly sensitive to carbon monoxide.
Environmental signs of high carbon monoxide are stuffy or stale feeling air, excessive moisture on window sills or walls. Sharp, penetrating odor or the smell of gas when the fuel burning appliance is running, and pilot lights that are yellow/orange in color rather than blue are signs of possibly high CO. If you find that the pilot light goes out, or if there is a white powder or soot build up occurring around the exhaust vent or chimney, you should have it immediately inspected by a service professional. The best ways to protect yourself and your family is to have regularly maintained appliances that are properly ventilated. Have a qualified service professional inspect your fuel burning appliances at least once per year. Have your chimney cleaned and inspected every year by a W.E.T.T. certified professional. Be sure your carbon monoxide alarm has been certified to the Canadian Standard Association (CSA) standards, or the Underwriters Laboratories standard. Install a carbon monoxide alarm in or near the sleeping areas of the home. Always install carbon monoxide alarms in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. ALWAYS REACT TO A CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM THAT HAS ALARMED!!! Get out of your home and contact your local fire department for assistance.Please remember that you have a responsibility to know about the dangers of carbon monoxide.
Your knowledge and actions may save lives! A carbon monoxide alarm is a good second line of defense. It is NOT a substitute for proper care and maintenance of your fuel burning appliances. Take the time to learn about the use of CO alarms in your home to ensure that you are using the equipment properly and effectively. Since carbon monoxide moves freely in the air, the suggested location is in or as near as possible to sleeping areas of the home. The human body is most vulnerable to the effects of carbon monoxide during sleeping hours. To work properly the unit must not be blocked by furniture or draperies. Carbon Monoxide is virtually the same weight as air and therefore the alarm protects you in a high or low location. For maximum protection, a carbon monoxide alarm should be located outside primary sleeping areas, in sleeping areas and in each level of your home. Carbon monoxide alarms are a critical component to house and health safety, but they are not to be used in every area of the home. Some locations may interfere with the proper operation of the alarm and may cause false alarms or trouble signals. CO alarms should not be installed where temperatures may drop below 5 degrees Celsius, near paint thinners or cleaning products, within 1.5 meters of any cooking or open flame appliance (furnaces, stoves, fireplaces), or in exhaust streams from gas engines, vents, flues, or chimneys. Placing an alarm in close proximity to automobile exhaust piping may damage the alarm. Again, close adherence to the manufacturer’s instructions will ensure that your alarm is located, installed, and maintained to give you the best protection available.