Carbon Monoxide Awareness
Here is a story that hits close to home. We have some close friends
that heard a shrieking sound being emitted from their Carbon Monoxide
(CO) detector one night. It is also important to note that they
have two young children. Yet they acted and reacted casually as
if it were the clock alarm beside the bed.
In the morning I received a call informing me that their CO detector
had gone off. They were asking if I knew what the problem might
be. My first question was, "What did you do when it went off"?
The second question, "Why did you not call me to come out immediately"?
The reply, nothing and no reason to call, we couldn't see anything
wrong and we all felt OK, so we went to bed.
Carbon Monoxide - The Silent Killer
This is all too typical a response; persons often will call my
company at 2:00 AM and inform us that the CO detector has just
gone off (alarmed). No, they do not want us out. They want to
know what the problem is and how they can fix it. In addition,
when they do not take our advice, they further refuse our advice
to call the Utility. Strange, isn't it? With all the media attention
over CO related events and deaths. Why is it consumers are obsessed
about asbestos, PCB's, CFC's, nuclear power, water quality, and
other potential products that may, or may not have, any documented
environmental impact, yet these same people can be so carefree
about such an undisputable hazard that takes its toll - like invisible,
tasteless, odorless, but ubiquitous Carbon Monoxide?
If consumers were to have searched the web August 28, 2004 through
a Google News search on the Internet regarding (CO) Carbon Monoxide,
they would have been able to return five leading headlines that
involved high levels of CO poisoning. Further there have been
approximately 12 deaths due to the aftermath of hurricanes Charlie
and Francis in the US and winter is not even officially here yet!
In Canada, we too get our share of CO deaths, and more often than
not, most incidents are never properly diagnosed because the symptoms
mimic those of the common flue. With the heating season just beginning
we are sure to hear more reports about deaths and near deaths
involving CO poisoning.
Monoxide Myths - Clearing the Air
Even though CO is a serious condition that can exist there are
also some myths that should be dispelled. They are:
Myth #1 Cracked heat exchangers
make CO.
Not certain who started
this myth, but CO is produced as a result of incomplete combustion.
A cracked heat exchanger might allow products of combustion to
enter the air stream. In some rare cases, it can cause flame impingement
when air from the furnace blower enters through the crack in the
heat exchanger. Now, this does not mean that we shouldn't replace
defective furnace heat exchangers - we should. The point is that
incomplete combustion produces CO, not cracks.
Myth #2 If, it meets code.
its safe.
Meeting code is a passing
grade - kind of like getting a D on your final examination at
school. Code does not provide protection for every situation.
Thousands of installations have passed code with flying colors
yet have been tested to be producing obscenely dangerous levels
of CO. The point here is if testing is not performed, no one can
say for certain there is a potential hazard present.
Myth #3 Blue flames don't
make CO.
Without the use of proper
testing equipment that is regularly checked and calibrated there
is no way to know for certain that CO is not present. Testing
of appliances with blue flames frequently show higher levels of
CO in flue gas than is allowed.
Myth #4 Carbon Monoxide is
odorless.
Theoretically speaking
this is true. However, when fuels create CO they also create aldehydes.
Aldehydes are created in a blowing/unstable flame. Aldehydes are
a chemical make up of water and leftover carbon, and have a very
strong sharp smell and cause the nose and eyes to run.
Myth #5 Carbon Monoxide is
colorless.
Again theoretically
speaking this is true. However, when fuels create CO they also
create carbon/black soot. This is because when we have incomplete
combustion we have left over carbon, except in the case of a blowing
flame. So, being able to recognize some of the warning signs is
imperative to the safety of the occupants with the building.
Myth #6 Carbon Monoxide is
a poison.
Not certain why we say,
"Carbon Monoxide poisoning," other than CO is highly toxic to
our bodies just like poisons, and maybe its easier for consumers
to understand the harmful effects. The truth is CO causes our
body to suffocate from the inside out.
How CO Causes Death - Symptoms to Watch For
Red blood cells (hemoglobin) absorb oxygen when we breathe carrying
oxygen to the brain to keep it alive. The brain tells the heart
to beat and so on. Red blood cells unfortunately are drawn to
CO approximately 250 times more than they are drawn to oxygen.
Therefore if we breathe in even the slightest amount of CO the
blood rapidly absorbs it and sends it to the brain. The brain
does not get enough oxygen so it tells the heart to beat faster.
Then we either suffer a heart attack or the blood picks up more
CO because the heart is beating faster delivering more CO to the
brain. A vicious cycle continues until finally the brain suffocates
and the heart stops.
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. Since 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.
Minimize the Risk
As homeowners, tenants or landlords there are many things that they can do to minimize the possibility of 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 for 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 there
is 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 motorized interlocked dampers are relatively inexpensive
and very reliable.
- Have the heating equipment and appliances cleaned by qualified
service technicians to ensure that they 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 to 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 chimneys are cleaned and inspected 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 never go to bed with
a fire still burning; put it out and leave the damper open until
the next day. Think of this as a campfire. You would not leave
a campfire 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.
The End of the Story
The diagnosis of the CO alarm at our friends home was the basement
bathroom exhaust fan ran for a full day and night exhausting air
from the home causing the chimney to reverse and allow the products
of combustion into the home (depressurization) while, at the same
time the appliance was producing CO and was in need of cleaning
and adjustment.
 |
Honeywell |
