- Air Filtration
- Air Treatment Systems
- Carbon Monoxide
- Dehumidifiers
- Humidifiers
- Thermostats
- Ventilation
Carbon Monoxide - The Silent Killer
A most dangerous substance that is often only thought of when
reading or listening in the news about another person or family
who were rushed to hospital or flown to a city having a chamber
for victims of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Winter is the most serious time for increased potential of carbon
monoxide in buildings, because storm windows are in place, the
heating system in full gear and fires in fireplaces.
As homeowners, tenants, landlords, etc., we all must have a better
understanding of the characteristics and dangers of carbon monoxide
gas. Carbon monoxide, scientifically speaking, is a clear, odourless,
toxic, flammable, colourless gas with a similar specific gravity
to air. However, there are visual signs that carbon monoxide gas
is being produced or that it is likely present. From a practical
and visual sense, carbon monoxide is not odourless or colourless.
When carbon monoxide is being produced there is soot, water vapour
and/or water staining, discoloured face plates on the furnace,
scaling, deteriorated venting and if severe enough, a pungent
odour that can be sensed by your nose. This odour is created from
aldehydes, the by-products of incomplete combustion that are being
produced.
Detectors Save Lives
So while you cannot see or smell CO, you can see and smell the
effects of CO and the by-products. True, a carbon monoxide detector
can make detection possible, however most are set to alarm at
100PPM. It is possible to have carbon monoxide in small amounts
under 100PPM; in addition, you might also have a high concentration
of (NOX) nitrogen oxide, which is commonly called smog. It may
be the high CO2 levels causing your asthma-like symptoms making
you feel terrible. A carbon monoxide detector is still a wise
investment; however don't forget there are visual signs that CO
is being produced. If you notice any of the signs, you should
contact a trained qualified technician immediately.
Flue gas spillage termed "back drafting" describes the most common contributing factor of carbon monoxide poisoning. This happens when the venting from the appliance(s) to the chimney or the chimney itself becomes blocked or deteriorated. Products of combustion are then channelled back into the home instead of being safely vented outdoors and if the burners are not burning properly, CO may be produced creating a potentially hazardous condition.
Side Effects of an Energy Efficient Home
In Manitoba, we should be proud of the
fact that we live in some of the "tightest" built homes
in Canada. In an effort to reduce energy consumption we continue
to tighten our existing buildings by installing added insulation,
weather stripping, windows, energy efficient furnaces, etc. We
even incorporate controlled temperature, humidification, ventilation,
and air purification systems, all in an effort to achieve the
perfect indoor comfort controlled environment.
However, tight homes do not come free of side effects. Everything
that you do within your home affects something else. The results
may be positive airflow or negative airflow (depressurization)
depending on your particular building. For example, the installation
of a dryer, central vacuum system, fireplace, wood stove, kitchen
or bathroom exhaust fan can possibly be enough to cause the chimney
to back draft, spilling the combustion products into the building.
Other factors such as closing off a combustion air intake or enclosing
a furnace or hot water heater can create back drafting.
The Chemistry of CO
To understand carbon monoxide one needs to know the fuel source
and its chemical make up. The main component of natural gas is
methane. For combustion to take place, the gas to air mixture
needs to be between 4 - 14% natural gas in the air. The by-products
of complete combustion are heat/light, carbon dioxide (CO2), water
vapour (H2O), and nitrogen oxide (NOX). Natural gas ignites at
approximately 1170 F. When incomplete combustion takes place,
the dangerous by-product produced is carbon monoxide. Incomplete
combustion is the result of the lack of air, which inhibits the
combustion process, commonly known as starving the air.
Know the Symptoms
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning
are tightness across the forehead, headaches, giddiness, faintness,
flushing, muscular weakness, mental confusion, collapse, nausea,
vomiting and dimness of vision. These symptoms mimic those of
the flu. Carbon Monoxide enters our bodies through the air we
breathe into our lungs and is absorbed into our blood stream.
The usual treatment is to administer oxygen as soon as possible.
There are many things you can do in an effort to minimize carbon
monoxide poisoning. They are as follows:
- Keep the utility room or furnace areas clean and clear of
debris. Restricting air to the appliance can starve the air
causing incomplete combustion to occur.
- Make sure that if the furnace is in an enclosed utility room
that there is sufficient air to allow complete combustion to
take place. If there is not sufficient air, a combustion air
intake pipe must be installed from outside.
- Be sure to check the combustion air intake screen if you have
a separate combustion air intake pipe installed to the outdoors.
All too often combustion air vents are found closed or blocked,
because they allow cold air to fall in or be drawn into the
building continuously creating comfort problems. Mechanical
combustion air dampers that interlock with the appliances that
resolve comfort problems are available. They open only when
the appliances are operating, eliminating the cold air problem.
These are relatively inexpensive and Custom Vac can install
the proper sized one for you.
- Having your furnace and appliances cleaned by one of Custom
Vac's qualified service technicians will ensure that the appliances
are operating safely and efficiently. Dirty burners or deteriorated
venting systems may leak carbon monoxide into the building.
- When using a fireplace or wood stove that does not utilize
outdoor air for the combustion process, make certain that you
leave a window open during use. These appliances use and exhaust
huge amounts of air from the building that can create back drafting.
- Be certain to clean and check the chimneys on a regular basis
for debris and obstructions. Often in the summer birds, raccoons,
squirrels, and even ducks have been known to use the chimneys
as nests.
- In homes with attached garages open the garage door before
starting the car. Back the car out immediately. Do not allow
the car to sit in the garage running. Often there is a bedroom
above and/or an entry door to the building. Check the foundation
where the garage and building meet to ensure that all cracks
and holes around wires and pipes are sealed.
- When using a fireplace or wood stove do not go to bed with
the fire still burning; put it out and leave the damper open
until the next day. Think of this as a campfire never leave
a fire unattended.
- Purchase an approved carbon monoxide detector. Compare detectors,
as some require replacement sensors and or batteries, some wire
directly into the building wiring, while others simply plug
into any standard 120-volt outlet. Still others require no replacement
of batteries or power and can be mounted anywhere.
- Use timers on exhaust fans to minimize fan "on" time. This
limits the amount of air drawn from the home minimizing the
potential for depressurization while at the same time saving
energy.
Grim Statistics that could have been Prevented
More than 230 people die each year in the US from carbon monoxide
poisoning associated with home fuel burning equipment like furnaces,
room heaters, and charcoal grills. The sad part is that every
one of those deaths could have been prevented.
The hype that always surrounds these incidents of carbon monoxide is all too soon forgotten. However, consumers only seem to react when it's in the news again.
Buy the Right CO Monitor
Custom Vac has been solving indoor air quality problems since
1970. Don't panic and rush out to purchase the first detector
you see; look at the approvals, options, overall lifetime maintenance
cost and performance. Do however purchase one to protect your
family, tenants or employees. The potential for an incident is
not worth risking a life.
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Bacharach Inc. | |
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Honeywell | |
Indoor Air Quality - Carbon Monoxide |
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