What is carbon monoxide?

Answer:  Carbon monoxide, known by the chemical formula "CO," is a poisonous gas that kills approximately 500 people in the United States alone every year.  Of that number, about 200 people were killed by carbon monoxide emitted from a consumer product, like a stove or water heater.  You can't hear, taste, see or smell it.  It's nicknamed the "silent killer" because it sneaks up on its victims and can take lives without warning.


What are the sources of CO?

Answer:  CO is a by-product of incomplete combustion.  Sources of the gas can include malfunctioning appliances --- including furnaces, stoves, ovens and water heaters --- that operate by burning fossil fuels such as natural or liquefied petroleum (LP).  When malfunctioning appliances aren't adequately ventilated, the amount of CO in the air may rise to a level that can cause illness or even death.

Other CO sources include vehicle exhaust, blocked chimney flues, fuel-burning cooking appliances used for heating purposes, and charcoal grills used in the home, tent, camper, garage or other unventilated areas.

The following symptoms are related to carbon monoxide poisoning and should be discussed with all members of the household:

• Mild exposure: Symptoms are often described as flu-like, including slight headache, nausea, vomiting and fatigue.
• Medium exposure: Severe throbbing headache, drowsiness, confusion and fast heart rate.
• Extreme exposure:  Unconsciousness, convulsions, cardiorespiratory failure and death.

Many cases of reported carbon monoxide poisoning indicate that while victims are aware they are not well, they become so disoriented that they are unable to save themselves by either exiting the building or calling for assistance.  Young children and household pets are typically the first affected.

What should I look for when I buy a CO alarm?

Answer: Rather than searching for specific features, look for the UL Mark with the adjacent phrase "Single Station Carbon Monoxide Alarm."


What do I do if my CO alarm sounds?

Answer:  Immediately operate the reset/silence button and call your emergency services (fire department or 9-1-1).
Move to fresh air -- either go outside or move to an open door or window.  Check to make sure that everyone in your household is accounted for.  Do not re-enter the premises nor move away from the open door or window until the emergency services have arrived, the premises have been sufficiently aired out, and your CO alarm remains in its normal condition.





Have you ever heard of this before?:  Someone you know has problems with their furnace.  A company comes out, looks it over then tells them the furnace can't be repaired because it has cracks in the heat exchanger and is putting carbon monoxide into the air.

Sound familiar?

Well, this can actually happen, but it can also be a furnace scam.

If you or someone you know is confronted with just such a situation, here are some good things to know.  Having a furnace with cracks in the heat exchanger can be very dangerous, but then again, cracks are very hard to see, unless you use sophisticated equipment or completely remove the entire back of the furnace.  Most companies will do neither.

If a technician can see a crack, make sure you ask to see it also.  If they can't show you or if there is any doubt, get another opinion. 

To get a very clear picture of your furnace's health, you may want to choose a company with a video camera inspection system.  It has a video display with a camera on the end of a flexible wand.  It's a able to travel inside the heat exchanger of the furnace and seek out exactly any problem areas.  The liquid crystal display monitor makes it visible for everyone to see.

Sometimes it just makes good sense to replace an older furnace, for gas savings and dependability.  Don't let someone convince or persuade you out of fear.

Be cautious and know the facts, and you'll keep yourself healthy and safe.