Questions and Answers About Carbon Monoxide(CO) and CO Detectors
Portrait of a Killer
What is carbon monoxide?
Carbon monoxide, known by the chemical formula "CO" is a
poisonous gas that kills more than 250 people in the United States alone every year. You
can't hear, taste, see or smell it. It's nicknamed the "silent killer" because
it sneaks up on it's victims and can take lives without warning.
What are the sources of CO?
CO is a by-product of incomplete combustion. CO sources can include
malfunctioning appliances -- including furnace, stoves, ovens and water heaters --that
operate by burning fossil fuels such as natural or liquefied petroleum (LP) gas, oil, wood
or coal. 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 used for heating purposes, and charcoal grills used in the home,
tent, camper, garage or other unventilated area.
How does CO affect the human body?
When victims inhale CO, the toxic gas enters the bloodstream and
replaces the oxygen molecules found on the critical blood component hemoglobin, depriving
the heart and brain of the oxygen necessary to function correctly. Sensing the body's need
for more oxygen, the victims heart rate increases to pump more blood to the body's organs.
If a person continues to inhale CO, he or she faces the risk of breathing difficulty,
cardiac trauma, brain damage, coma or even death.
What are the symptoms of CO poisoning?
CO poisoning victims may initially suffer flu-like symptoms including
nausea, fatigue, headaches, dizziness, confusion and breathing difficulty. Because CO
poisoning often causes a victims blood pressure to rise, the victim's may take on a pink
or red cast.
Avoiding CO
How can I tell if there is a risk of CO poisoning in my home?
Have your fuel-burning appliances inspected by a qualified technician
at least once a year.
Be alert to these danger signs that signal a potential CO problem:
- streaks of carbon or soot around the service door of your fuel-burning
appliances;
- the absence of a draft in your chimney (indicating blockage);
- excessive rusting on flue pipes or appliance jackets;
- moisture collecting on the windows and walls of furnace rooms;
- fallen soot from the fire place;
- small amounts of water leaking from the base of the chimney, vent or
flue pipe;
- damaged or discolored bricks at the top of your chimney; and
- rust on the potion of the vent visible from the outside of your home.
Also, recognize that CO poisoning may be the cause when family
members suffer from flu-like symptoms that don't disappear but improve when they leave
home for extended periods of time.
How can I prevent CO poisoning?
The most important steps are preventive ones. Have a qualified
service professional inspect your fuel-burning appliances at least once a year. Install UL
listed CO detectors outside of sleeping areas and near all fuel-burning appliances.
Other precautions include:
- avoid using charcoal grills inside the home, tent or camper, or in an
unventilated garage.
- don't allow vehicle exhaust fumes to enter the home; and
- make sure all fuel-burning appliances are properly ventilated.
CO Detectors -- Tools to Alert Your Family
What should I look for when I buy a CO detector?
Rather than looking for specific features, look for the UL Mark with
the adjacent phrase "Single Station Carbon Monoxide Detector."
UL listed CO detectors are designed to detect elevated levels of CO and
sound an alarm to alert your family of a potential poisoning risk. Although CO indicator
cards and other devices on the market are also intended to detect elevated levels of CO,
most aren't designed with an audible alarm. The presence of an audible alarm may be
significant -- especially while you and your loved ones sleep.
How can I protect my family when we're traveling? Working in the garage?
UL evaluates and lists CO detectors intended for use in recreational
vehicles (RVs) and areas such as garages attics where dampness, humidity and temperatures
aren't controlled as in the living space of the home. CO detectors used in these areas
comply with additional requirements designed to address the special conditions often
present in these environments.
UL also evaluates CO travel alarms. These devices are equipped with a
mounting bracket for temporary mounting only.
UL Listed CO detectors intended for use in these environments are marked
accordingly near the UL Listing Mark.
Do CO detectors operate differently than smoke detectors?
Although they may look and sound similar, CO and smoke detectors are
designed and intended to detect two separate, distinct hazards. Therefore, to help protect
your family from both hazards, it's important to install both UL Listed CO detectors and
smoke detectors.
How do I install my CO detector?
Follow the installation instructions found in the manufacturer's use
and care booklet that accompanies the product. Proper installation is an important factor
in receiving optimum performance. It's important to follow these instructions exactly.
How do I take care of my CO detector?
Like smoke detectors, CO detectors need to be tested regularly and
cleaned as indicated in the manufacturer's use and care booklet. If the unit is wired
directly into your home's electrical system, you should test it monthly. If your unit
operates off a battery, test the detector weekly and replace the battery at least once a
year.
Should I follow any safety tips for using and maintaining my CO detectors?
As with any product, read the manufacturer's use and care booklet for
installation and maintenance guidelines. Keep these instructions on file for future
reference. If your unit operates off a battery, never allow anyone to "borrow"
the battery. Like any appliance or power tool, a CO detector can't work unless it has a
functioning power source.
Will exposure to other household gases or vapors cause the CO detector to false
alarm?
When UL evaluates samples of residential CO detectors, consideration
is made that your home may contain moderate levels of cleaning chemicals and other
substances. UL 2034, the Standard UL engineers and technicians use to test residential
carbon monoxide detectors, includes exposure tests to normal concentrations of methane,
butane, heptane, ethyl acetate (nail polish remover), isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol),
carbon dioxide and propane -- all gases that would typically be found in a home.
You should, however, keep these chemicals away from your CO detectors.
Low exposure over an extended period of time could damage the sensing device and cause
your detector to sound a false alarm.
What do I do if my CO detector alarm goes off?
Immediately ventilate your home by opening windows and outside doors.
If anyone in your household is experiencing flu-like symptoms, including nausea, fatigue,
headaches, dizziness, confusion and breathing difficulty, immediately call the fire
department and evacuate everyone in your home. Be sure to check infants and others who
have trouble explaining their symptoms. Do not let anyone re-enter the premises until the
problem is corrected.
If no one in the household has flu-like symptoms, again, ventilate your
home, turn off all fuel-burning appliances and immediately call a qualified technician to
inspect for sources of CO. Do not restart these appliances and continue to ventilate your
home until the problem is corrected.
Because you've provided ventilation by leaving your windows and doors
open, the CO buildup may be dissipated by the time help responds. Although your problem
may appear to be temporarily solved, it's crucial that the source of CO is determined and
appropriate repairs are made.
Remember, an alarm indicates elevated levels of CO in your home. CO is
called the "silent killer" because it cannot be seen or smelled. Some people may
be exposed to dangerous levels of CO and not feel any symptoms. Regardless of whether you
feel symptoms, never ignore the alarm.
For more information about UL, the UL Mark or consumer product safety,
contact:
Underwriters Laboratories Corporate Headquarters
333 Pfingsten Road Northbrook, IL 60062 (708) 272-8800
 
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