Carbon Monoxide Safety

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas.  It is colorless, odorless, tasteless and non-irritating and, if inhaled, CO can cause illness or even death.  CO is produced when a fuel such as gasoline, natural gas, propane or wood burs incompletely.  Fuel-burning appliances can produce CO if they are not installed, used and maintained properly.

Maintaining fuel-burning appliances

Once a year, have a qualified heating contractor inspect fuel-burning appliances and make any necessary repairs.  It is also important to check appliances between inspections and to call a professional if:

bulletThe flame on your natural gas furnace, water heater or stove is yellow.  The flame should be clear blue with occasional yellow tips (some natural gas fireplaces may be designed to have yellow flames).
bulletYou find cracks, holes, separations, rust, stains or carbon deposits on heating ducts or pipes.

Appliances need proper ventilation

bulletHave your chimney inspected and cleaned annually.  Make sure the chimney is not blocked by leaves, snow, ice or other debris.
bulletMake sure your furnace, water heater, gas clothes dryer and other appliances have proper ventilation.
bulletMake sure your fireplace has a fresh-air duct.  If it doesn't, open a window when using the fireplace.

Know the symptoms of CO poisoning

Overtime, exposure to CO can lead to loss of consciousness and even death.  Symptoms of CO exposure include:

bulletHeadaches
bulletDizziness
bulletNausea
bulletConfusion
bulletDrowsiness
bulletLoss of coordination or judgment

If you, another person or a pet show symptoms of CO poisoning:

bulletLeave the house immediately
bulletSeek professional medical help.  Indicate that you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning
bulletCall 911 or the local fire department from a neighbor's home
bulletDo not go back into the house until the fire department or gas company indicates it is safe to do so.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors

A CO detector is not a substitute for prevention but it can be a good second line of defense.  If you buy an alarm, choose a model certified by a recognized testing agency (CSA Approved), and follow the manufacturer's instructions for installation, use and maintenance.

Information taken from "Carbon Monoxide Safety" public document supplied courtesy of Alberta Municipal Affairs.

Telsco Security Systems installs CSA Approved Monitoring Carbon Monoxide Sensors.

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Last modified: 06/28/06