Owens Corning
Carbon Monoxide Threat
If you're like most Americans, you don't really worry about carbon monoxide in your home. But, if you've got a typical American house, you probably should worry.

A new survey has found that just 19% of adults in the United States consider carbon monoxide a threat where they live. The alarming reality, however, is that 88% of those surveyed had at least one device in their homes that could produce carbon monoxide. Moreover, only 6% of residences in the U.S. are equipped with a carbon monoxide detector.

What is carbon monoxide? It's a toxic gas that's produced by the incomplete combustion of fuels. Malfunctioning appliances like gas stoves, portable heaters, and furnaces can make it, as can woodstoves and fireplaces. Carbon monoxide is also created by car engines; letting a car run in a garage may enable the gas to leak into a home through the common wall.

The problem is that carbon monoxide is odorless and colorless, so homeowners generally don't know when it exists in dangerous amounts in their homes. But each year hundreds of people die from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. The statistics vary; one governmental agency estimates 600 lives are claimed annually, while the Journal of the American Medical Association puts the yearly toll at about 1,500. The journal adds that each year, 10,000 people seek medical attention after exposure to the gas.

What makes the gas so harmful is that it interferes with the blood's ability to carry oxygen. In effect, it smothers its victims. The first signs of poisoning are often mistaken for the flu: fatigue, headache, nausea, and irritability. Greater amounts of poisoning can lead to loss of consciousness, brain damage, and death.

Unlike other dangers in homes, like fires, the problem with carbon monoxide is a fairly new one. Why? Because houses used to be so leaky that the gas seeped out around windows and doors, and through poorly insulated walls. Modern homes, on the other hand, are tightly built. Fresh air is admitted rarely, unless the house has ventilation equipment. Thus, any gas- or oil-burning appliance that is malfunctioning can silently spew out carbon monoxide until the indoor air becomes toxic.

What's worse, even properly operating machines can sometimes fill a home with gas. Plugged chimneys can prevent exhaust from escaping. And, in a process sometimes called backdrafting, appliances like dryers, kitchen fans, and furnaces that blow air out of the home may eventually create negative air pressure indoors, if there's no source of fresh, incoming air. Under these conditions, exhaust fumes won't rise in a chimney; instead, the higher outside air pressure will force the fumes back into the house.

To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, experts recommend that homeowners have their heating, air conditioning, and ventilation equipment inspected and serviced regularly. And many municipalities now require homes to install devices that, like smoke detectors, warn occupants when a dangerous carbon monoxide condition occurs.

These devices generally work one of two ways. Some use a "Gel Cell," an amber-colored sensor that turns dark in the presence of the gas. Others use a microprocessor and tin oxide plate; carbon monoxide changes the electrical resistance of the plate. Usually, the Gel Cell models are battery-powered, and the microprocessor versions operate off the house's electrical wiring. Although it may be more convenient to not have to worry about changing batteries routinely, remember that plug-in versions won't operate during power outages. (Some plug-in models now feature a back-up battery, so your house is protected either way.)

Whichever model you choose, look for the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) logo on the package. If you plan to only purchase one unit, install it near the bedroom; place any additional units at least 15 ft. away from potential carbon monoxide sources, such as furnaces.

Homeowners can learn more about carbon monoxide by contacting a variety of resources, including the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), at 1-800-638-2772. Detector manufacturers also distribute free information. For example, American Sensors operates The Home Health and Safety Hotline, at 1-800-387-4219. Enzone has established a site on the internet; the address is http://www.enzoneusa.com. And First Alert offers a free brochure on carbon monoxide. Write to CO Info, 415 N. La Salle St., 700B, Chicago, IL 60610. Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.


Written by Judith Gunther.
Reprinted with permission. Copyright HouseNet, Inc.

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