What are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning?

You may observe common flu like symptoms in someone who is actually suffering from Carbon Monoxide inhalation with features like: -
- ongoing headaches
- loss of balance
- fatigue
- urge to vomit

If you notice symptoms such as these when you have gas appliances in the home, stop using the appliance without delay, increase ventilation to the rooms, take any inhabitants outside and ensure that your gas appliances are inspected by a CORGI registered gas engineer.

What will Carbon Monoxide Poisoning result in?

Carbon monoxide is poisonous so you should be very careful.Do not read this or other articles and form your own judgement. Quick action can save your and your family’s lives. Anyone can fall victim to CO poisoning, even the fit and healthy. This also applies to household pets.

Leaving no smell and having no taste Carbon Monoxide is very dangerous and toxic. Typical gas fire or boiler operation produces harmless gases but lack of oxygen can result in Carbon Monoxide creation. The standard flue gases from a boiler, or other gas appliance such as a gas fire, contain Carbon Dioxide, this is displaced by Carbon Monoxide when the oxygen levels are reduced. Many people suffer from Carbon Monoxide poisoning each year although the implementation of strict boiler ventilation regulations and access to professional maintenance and servicing has cut the number of deaths to 30.

How can I see I have a carbon monoxide problem?

If your gas appliances have indications of discoloration on their surface or on the walls near them you may be seeing some of the results of poor ventilation and production of excess waste gases. Poor ventilation can reduce the volume of oxygen available to burn gas within a boiler resulting in the production of carbon dioxide, in these circumstances a pilot light may change from burning with the usual blue colour to a yellow colouration. 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.

Tell me how to reduce the chances of Carbon Monoxide related illness.

As mentioned carbon monoxide is produced when a gas flame burns with insufficient oxygen in the surrounding atmosphere. Assuming that a ventilation audit of your proposed installation was completed before your boiler was fitted the best defence to this is the regular and expert servicing of any gas appliances that you have including your boiler. Any engineer you contract to service your gas appliances should be CORGI-registered which will ensure that they have the training required to complete the task to the required standards. Carbon monoxide detectors, carrying a British Standard kite mark, are an important addition to a plan to protect your home against possible poisoning by CO gas. Gas appliances require adequate ventilation and you should check that this is satisfactory, one particular danger area is the covering up of ventilation vents in the summer through home decorating and the storage of surplus items.. Also regularly inspect for plants which might be growing near a vent outside as over the course of a year they can also block them. Birds can often build nests in chimneys and block the airflow to gas appliances without you knowing, a visual inspection from the ground should be included within your ventilation action plan. It is important to be aware of the different sounds from your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. In an emergency you need to be are aware of the different sounds so you know which detector was triggered.

When I buy a detector what should I look for?

Preferred CO detectors should contain an audible alarm and be have British Standards certification. Key points for these alarms are a 5 year plus battery and the loud alarm alerting family members to the presence of carbon monoxide to the need to get to fresh air. Battery powered models with electronic detection are better than the paper based models which use chemical reactions to show a spot on a cardboard detector that changes colour when carbon monoxide levels have increased. 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. Audible alarms are a significant advantage if CO levels rise at night as the noise will wake you and your family. In addition to do it yourself stores carrying these detectors you may be able to purchase an approved model from your utility company.

Can the general public purchase carbon monoxide detectors?

CO detectors are important household aids in detecting carbon monoxide and giving early warning of potential problems. Several types of detector are now becoming available in DIY shops and the supermarket chains. Carbon monoxide detectors trigger an alarm based on an accumulation of carbon monoxide over time. CO detectors are not yet as reliable as the smoke detectors in your home but the technology is becoming more reliable and they are an important early warning mechanism. You should always ensure you have a proper maintenance schedule for your appliances, having a carbon monoxide detector does not enable you to save on regular appliance servicing.

The benefits of installing a Carbon Monoxide detector

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. Properly installed detectors monitor carbon monoxide levels over time and are designed to sound an alarm before an average, healthy adult would experience symptoms of poisoning. Unlike smoke detectors, they do not need to be placed near ceiling level. 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.

Test your CO Detectors

A detector should be tested several times each the year to make certain that it is working as designed. Detectors should come with instructions detailing the steps to take to check the effective functioning of the detector. Test CO alarms at least once a month and replace them according to the service instructions if found to be defective. Many detectors have a test button, this does not test the detector but its purpose is to trigger the alarm so that you can confirm that the sound and the battery are working. You should note when the detector needs to be replaced, some have an operating life of only 48 months. 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. Some detectors incorporate smoke detection and also carbon monoxide gas detection. They will have their own installation instructions which you should follow closely.