Carbon Monoxide a Hidden Hazard

By Lee Philips M.D.
PersonalMD.com Advisory Board

You can't see it, smell it or taste it, but it can be silently and rapidly lethal. Every year over 200 people die from carbon monoxide(CO) and thousands of people go to hospital emergency rooms for treatment for carbon monoxide poisoning.

Carbon monoxide is the number one cause of poisoning deaths in America. Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas produced by incomplete combustion of fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal. Household carbon monoxide poisoning is usually related to the malfunctioning or improper use of a water heaters, ovens, ranges, furnaces, gas or oil heaters. The gas is also emitted from burning charcoal grills and car exhaust.

The risks of carbon monoxide poisoning increase during the winter months when people begin heating their homes. Taking steps to prevent and detect carbon monoxide exposure is important to ensure a healthy home and family.

Everyone's at risk!

When carbon monoxide is inhaled it impairs the body's ability to use oxygen, starving the body's tissues and brain. Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning can be so subtle that many people ignore the symptoms.

You may feel ill when you wake in the morning and better after a few hours away from home. Signs of early carbon monoxide poisoning often resemble the flu except that there is no fever. People who breath CO may experience a headache, nausea, fatigue, dizziness, vomiting or confusion.

Suspect carbon monoxide if everyone in the same house experiences similar symptoms. One particularly dangerous aspect of CO is that it causes drowsiness and many people are overcome while sleeping.

It can then progress to loss of consciousness, brain damage and death. People at greatest risk are unborn babies, infants, young children, senior citizens and people with lung disease. Breathing in CO can increase chest pain in people with chronic heart disease. If you suspect you have carbon monoxide poisoning the first step is to get away from the source and get into fresh air.

Tell your physician you suspect CO poisoning, which is easily diagnosed by a blood test. If CO is washed out of the body immediately with oxygen most people have no long term effects.

The first line of defense against carbon monoxide is to make sure that all fuel-burning appliances operate properly. Here are a few simple measures that can prevent poisoning. Be sure that your home's central and room heating appliances, furnaces, gas water heaters and gas dryers are installed, used and serviced according to manufacturer's directions. A competent installer should install and check for proper venting and an adequate air supply to ensure proper combustion. Cracked heat exchangers on furnaces and for disconnected or blocked appliance vents can allow carbon monoxide to reach living areas. Inadequate fresh air supply to a furnace increases the amount of carbon monoxide produced. Carbon monoxide then may be drawn from the furnace into living spaces when you turn on an exhaust fan or a vented clothes dryer. Check chimneys and flues for blockages, visible rust or stains and loose connections that can force carbon monoxide into your home. Use unvented gas or kerosene space heaters only in well-ventilated rooms, or open doors to adjoining rooms. Never use these heaters overnight or in a room where you sleep. Use fuel-powered appliances only as intended. Never use an oven or range to heat your home. Never burn charcoal inside.

A CO detector can buy safety and peace of mind. CO Detectors can be purchased at home improvement stores and generally cost $30 to $80. Installing a CO detector that meets UL Standard 2034 insures that an alarm will sound before the average adult begins to experience symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Exposure to a low concentration over several hours can be as dangerous as exposure to high carbon monoxide levels for a few minutes - the new detectors will detect both conditions. These should be placed in or near bedrooms and be loud enough to awaken you during the night giving you time to evacuate the premises. Test your detector regularly, following manufacturer's instructions. Also, replace batteries according to instructions.

If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, you should turn off all appliances and any other fuel sources in the home at once. Get fresh air into your home immediately by opening doors and windows. If you or a family member experience signs of carbon monoxide exposure: headaches, confusion, vomiting, immediately leave your home and see your physician. Make sure all people and pets are accounted for.

Do not re-enter the home until it has been aired out and the problem corrected. Before you re-enter your home make sure the source of the carbon monoxide has been identified and eliminated. A qualified technician should be called before using suspect appliances.

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