Installing a carbon monoxide tester

The installation of CO testers give a warning to people in a building of unhealthy or dangerous levels of CO before the symptoms of CO poisoning occur. The levels at which carbon monoxide testers are triggered are measured against the level of gas that would start to harm a healthy adult. As such you need to act quickly when children could have been exposed to the emissions as they can be harmed by lower levels of the gas. Smoke detectors are installed near the ceiling as smoke rises, this is not true of carbon monoxide testers and hence these testers can be installed lower on the wall. Make sure that you will be woken should your carbon monoxide tester go off whilst you are asleep. Install the alarm near your sleeping areas.

Carbon Monoxide testers should be regularly tested

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. Detectors should be tested monthly and replaced if problems are found. 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. Many detectors have a limited lifetime, this can be 48 months or less. There are detectors on sale which can operate for 60 months In addition to battery models there are some that are mains powered and have battery backup to cover power failures. The choice is yours. There are combined detectors sold which combine smoke and carbon monoxide detectors within the same case. These may have specific installation instructions as advised by the manufacturer and you should pay particular attention as to how these should be installed.

Are you able to purchase carbon monoxide detectors?

Domestic carbon monoxide poisoning can be prevented by the use of household carbon monoxide testers. Several different and relatively inexpensive detectors are available in stores. The gradual accumulation of carbon monoxide gas over time will lead to the detector being set off. Smoke detectors have become a standard feature in homes and the technology is reliable, CO detectors are not yet as reliable but the technology is making rapid strides. Your best protection against exposure to carbon monoxide is the regular servicing of your gas burning appliances. A CO detector will only ever be a backup measure.

What features will a good detector have?

Ensure that the detector you get is certified to British Standards and has a loud alarm. Look for a very loud alarm and 5 year battery life as minimum requirements in a CO detector. Cheaper CO detectors have a coloured spot that changes colour when carbon monoxide levels rise and these should not be used in preference to a battery alarm. Colour change detectors do not have an audible alarm and cannot alert you the moment there is a problem. Also they only last for 6 months and the lower price can be a false economy. 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. Many types of shops carry these detectors and smoke alarms also.

What will I see if I have a carbon monoxide issue in my home?

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. You can also check pilot lights and other gas flames that normally burn blue through an inspection chamber if fitted. 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.

Carbon Monoxide (CO) cannot be tasted and has no smell giving no opportunity to detect this dangerous gas. 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. Properly balanced ventilation will result in Carbon Dioxide output, Carbon Monoxide will result if the level of oxygen is restricted with reduced airflow or a blocked flue. Building regulations prescribing ventilation requirements and the widespread availability of gas boiler and appliance servicing services has reduced the incidence of Carbon Monoxide poisoning although there are still 30 deaths per year.

What are the risks with CO poisoning?

Carbon monoxide is poisonous so you should be very careful. It is easy to read about carbon monoxide symptoms and convince yourself that it is not applicable to your situation, protect your health and seek professional advice. Quick action can save your and your family’s lives. Age and good health are no defence against poisoning from carbon monoxide. It is common for pets to be harmed in the same way as humans.

What are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning?

The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning can often be confused with other flu like illnesses and include:-
* headaches which occur daily
* light headiness
* weariness
* billiousness

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.

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

Bad ventilation resulting in lack of oxygen leads to the production of poisonous carbon monoxide. Gas appliance engineers will check the ventilation and combustion efficiency of your gas appliances during the regular maintenance visits eliminating the causes of poor combustion. To guarantee compliance with the gas appliance servicing regulations make sure that the gas engineer you hire to service your appliances has CORGI registration. Carbon monoxide detectors can give a warning of abnormal carbon monoxide levels, models with a loud alarm are the most effective at warning the inhabitants of the home. Provision of the recommended ventilation to gas appliances is essential and you should regularly inspect any ventilation vents to ensure that the flow of air can be maintained. 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. 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. Smoke and CO detectors are manufactured to make different audible sounds when triggered. Take some time to learn the differences so that you are aware of what type of emergency you face when one of your detectors is set off.