Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colourless, odourless, deadly gas. Because you can't see, taste, or smell it, carbon monoxide can kill you before you know it's there. Today's more energy-efficient, airtight home designs contribute to the problem by trapping CO-polluted air inside the home. According to the Canada Safety Council, approximately 200 Canadians die each year from CO poisoning. The great danger of carbon monoxide is its attraction to haemoglobin in the bloodstream. CO is breathed in through the lungs, and bonds with haemoglobin in your blood, displacing the oxygen that cells need to function. When CO is present in the air it rapidly accumulates in the blood. It will eventually displace enough oxygen in your system to suffocate you from the inside out, resulting in brain damage or death. Everyone is at risk. Carbon monoxide poisoning can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. Experts believe that vulnerability to CO poisoning increases for unborn babies, infants, senior citizens, and people with coronary or respiratory problems. These people are considered to be at greatest risk.
Carbon monoxide is a common by-product of appliances that run on flammable fuel. It can be emitted by gas or oil furnaces, or clothes dryers, water heaters, fireplaces, wood stoves, charcoal grills, gas ranges, and space heaters. A clogged chimney or improper venting can cause problems as well.
How Do I Know If I Am Suffering from CO Poisoning?
CO poisoning is difficult to diagnose. Because its symptoms are similar to other common diseases, such as the flu, carbon monoxide is often called "The Great Imitator." Symptoms of low level CO poisoning can include headaches, fatigue, nausea, dizzy spells, and confusion. There are, however, a few hints that can help.
- Are other members of the household feeling ill as well?
- Do you feel better when you are away from the house for a period of time?
If so, you may be suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning. To be sure, see a physician and request a carboxy-haemoglobin test. This will determine the percentage of carbon monoxide present in your blood.
Detectors - What Kind & How Many?
There are a number of different companies manufacturing CO detectors today, each with its own patented system of detecting the deadly gas. Look for a detector that is ULC listed to the new Canadian Gas Association (CGA) standard # 619. The ULC mark guarantees that the product has passed tests in the areas of performance, safety, and accuracy. Other features you may want to look for include a test button, which tests the entire detector for easy assurance that the system is operating properly, and battery power, which provides continuous protection and does not require recalibration in the event of a power outage. AC powered systems do not provide protection when power is lost and can take up to two days to recalibrate.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, you should have at least one detector per household. A second detector located near the home's heating source adds an extra measure of safety. Read the manufacturers instructions carefully before installing a CO alarm. Do not place the alarm within five feet of household chemicals or directly above / across from fuel burning appliances. If your detector is wired directly into your homes electrical system, you should test it monthly. If your unit operates off a battery, test the alarm weekly and replace the battery at least once a year.
In the Event of an Alarm . . .
If your alarm sounds, immediately open windows and doors for ventilation. If anyone in the home is experiencing symptoms of CO poisoning immediately evacuate the house and call the Fire Department. If no one is experiencing these symptoms, continue to ventilate, turn off fuel burning appliances, and call a qualified technician to inspect your fuel burning appliances as soon as possible. Because you have provided ventilation, the CO build-up may have dissipated by the time help responds and your problem may appear to be temporarily solved. Do not operate any fuel burning appliances until you have clearly identified the source of the problem.
The Controversy -- Do They "REALLY" Work?
In February 1999, an independent consultant working out of Seneca College in Ontario, released a controversial statement to the press indicating that tests conducted on 26 carbon monoxide detector units turned up a failure rate of 81%. CTV News, the first to broadcast the test results, first aired the story on February 28, 1999. It was immediately picked up and carried by several other major news agencies, which sparked major concern on behalf of homeowners across Canada as to the reliability of these units. So, the question remains . . . do they really work? The following are a few articles / press releases addressing the issue - you decide.
Article quoted, in part, from the Toronto Star March 2, 1999.
A Seneca College tryout that turned up a failure rate of 81 per cent on carbon monoxide detectors was nothing more than an unscientific "classroom demonstration", the head of the school's fire protection engineering technology department says. The tests weren't under controlled conditions so the College won't release the names of the 26 units tested or how they performed, Humber said. (Bill Humber is the Head of Seneca College Fire Protection Engineering Technology Department.)
Press release, in part, from Sunbeam Corporation Canada, March 2, 1999
We are very concerned that news reports such as this will cause people to dismantle or ignore their CO detectors, putting themselves and their families at risk of serious injury or death. We know of no cases where anyone with a properly installed CO detector has experienced injury or death due to CO. On the contrary, CO detectors have saved hundreds of lives in this country over the past six years.
Seneca College has stated in a news release today that their "tests" were in fact "limited to classroom demonstrations" performed by an independent consultant, who apparently released the "results" without the College's permission. The detectors were not tested in a controlled environment, and with no where near the kind of stringent conditions that UL and ULC employ in their testing.
Press release, in part, from Underwriters Laboratories Canada,March 3, 1999
"CO detectors have and will continue to save lives from CO poisoning in Canada", said John Roberts, president of ULC. "Because safety is our primary mission at ULC, we want to emphasize the importance of using a ULC certified CO detector in the home. ULC certifies CO detectors that meet the Canadian National Standard and that will respond to the presence of CO."
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