Carbon monoxide is a very poisonous gas with no taste, no colour and no smell. It can be produced by a boiler when there is insufficient oxygen in the air supply to the combustion chamber. The lack of oxygen means that Carbon Monoxide is produced rather than the less dangerous Carbon Dioxide.

With high standards of boiler servicing and strict ventilation regulations the number of people killed by Carbon Monoxide has reduced to 30 people each year although many more are seriously injured.

Can I look at my gas appliances to see if carbon monoxide could be a problem?

One way of visually checking for potential problems is to check for signs of staining, soot or discoloration on or around gas boilers, fires and water heaters. You can also check pilot lights and other gas flames that normally burn blue through an inspection chamber if fitted. If the flame changes from blue to yellow or orange this could mean that carbon monoxide is present and you should have the appliance inspected by a professional.

What should I do to protect myself and my family from carbon monoxide poisoning ?

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 defense to this is the regular and expert servicing of any gas appliances that you have including your boiler.

Make sure your central heating boiler is maintained annually by a CORGI-registered engineer. As a second, very important, line of defence, fit a British Standard approved carbon monoxide detector with an audible alarm.

You should also keep air vents in doors, walls or windows clear - never cover them up to prevent draughts. 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. And make sure your chimney doesn’t become blocked with birds’ nests or other debris.

Are there any warning signs of the presence of carbon monoxide?

If you suspect there is carbon monoxide in your home you should err on the side of caution. Do not read this or other articles and form your own judgement. Take action to protect yourself and your family quickly.

Any member of the family can be affected by carbon monoxide regardless of their age. This also applies to household pets. The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning can often be confused with other flu like illnesses and include:

persistent headaches
dizziness
extreme tiredness
sickness

If any of these symptoms occur, particularly when using a gas heating or a hot water appliance, you should immediately stop using the appliance, open the windows to improve ventilation, get family members out of the house and get the appliance checked by a CORGI registered engineer.

Can I buy a carbon monoxide detector ?

Recommended detectors are certified to British Standard and have an audible alarm. These typically have batteries which will last for up to five years and have a loud alarm which goes off when carbon monoxide is detected giving you time to evacuate the room.

Less effective detectors work on the principle where a coloured spot on a cardboard detector changes colour over time when carbon monoxide is detected. These are not recommended as they have a life of around six months and you must remember to replace them regularly. Most importantly they do not have an audible alarm and will not wake you is there is an excess of carbon monoxide produced when you are asleep at night.