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Cut the Risk of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Is this silent killer lurking? Clues, tips for prevention are listed.

Carbon monoxide is a silent killer.

Odorless and invisible, this deadly gas is a byproduct of incomplete combustion. Sources include furnaces, natural gas stoves and water heaters, fire places, charcoal grills, lawn mowers and automobile exhaust fumes.

There are also unexpected sources, such as the vapors of some solvents like paint strippers.

Homeowners tend to make the situation worse in their pursuit of energy efficiency. Some houses are too airtight for safety. And as thermostats have been turned down, room heaters, fire places and wood stoves have gained in popularity as supplemental heat sources.

Also if you build and enclosure around the furnace of water heater when you remodel the basement, make sure to provide for adequate fresh air flow. Please obtain the required permits from your city government. Otherwise, you may create carbon monoxide.

Houses need to breathe because the furnace, water heater and stove all need a supply of fresh air. If there isn't enough, it will be pulled into the house down the furnace of fireplace chimney. This is called backdating. It reverses the chimney's normal siphoning effect and as a result, the carbon monoxide produced by the furnace and water heater stays inside the house instead of going out the chimney.

Here are some clues that carbon monoxide might be lurking in your house:

  • The air in the house is persistently stuffy, stale or smelly.
  • There is high humidity, which often shows up as moisture on window surfaces.
  • Soot collects around the outside of the fireplace, furnace or chimney.
  • There is no draft control in the chimney.
  • A hot 'back draft' is being pulled from the chimney into th house.
  • You smell exhaust fumes

    • You can reduce the possibility of carbon monodies poisoning by following these suggestions:

  • If you have gas appliances, a properly adjusted gas flame should burn crisp and blue. If it's orange, call a professional to adjust it for you.
  • Have a professional check all heating appliances every year.
  • Your chimney should be cleaned annually, before the start of the heating season, especially if you frequently use your fireplace or wood burning stove.
  • If you've recently remodeled your house for energy efficiency, have the carbon monoxide level checked by the utility company.
  • Never use a charcoal grill indoors and don't use your kitchen stove or oven to heat the room.
  • Avoid extensive use of kerosene heaters or better yet, don't use them at all.
  • Never use a gas heater that is vented in the house.
  • Don's use liquid propane gas lamps, heaters or gasoline lanterns indoors or in a recreational vehicle, unless they are properly vented to the outside.
  • Have the conditions of the exhaust system on you gasoline operated family vehicles and equipment checked and replaced if necessary.
  • Don't sit in a parked car with the engine running and the windows closed, or let the engine idle in a closed garage.

    • The best defense against carbon monoxide poisoning in the house is to install carbon monoxide detectors.

    The least expensive are small chemical detectors. They change color when they are exposed to a certain level of the gas. Bet they must be replaced every year because they become less sensitive with age and you need to develop the habit of checking them regularly for the telltale color change.

    Electronic detectors are more expensive, but you don't have to monitor them. Just like a smoke detector, the battery alarm will sound if a certain level of carbon monoxide is present.

    You can also get a combination model that can detect smoke and natural gas as well as carbon monoxide.

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