Carbon Monoxide Detectors: Is One Really Necessary?

When you feel there is not enough oxygen or feel drowsiness, dizziness, vomiting, there may be too many CO or carbon monoxide around you.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colourless and odourless gas. Because you can't see, taste or smell it, it can affect you or your family before you even know it's there. Even at low levels of exposure, carbon monoxide can cause serious health problems. CO is harmful because it will rapidly accumulate in the blood, depleting the ability of blood to carry oxygen.

The presence of carbon monoxide (CO) in our homes is dangerous. So, how can you protect your family from carbon monoxide? How do you choose the right CO detector for your home? The first step is to make sure that carbon monoxide never enters your home. The second step is to install at least one CO detector in your home.

Carbon monoxide is a common by-product of the combustion (burning) of fossil fuels. Most fuel-burning equipment (natural gas, propane and oil), if properly installed and maintained, produces little CO. The by-products of combustion are usually safely vented to the outside. However, if anything disrupts the venting process (such as a bird's nest in the chimney) or results in a shortage of oxygen to the burner, CO production can quickly rise to dangerous levels.

The burning of wood, kerosene, coal and charcoal produce CO. Gasoline engines produce CO. CO production is at a maximum during the startup of a cold engine. Starting, then idling, your car or gas mower in the garage can be dangerous.The fumes that contain CO can enter a home through connecting walls or doorways and can quickly rise to dangerous levels.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors: Is One Really Necessary?
If you take the actions above, you greatly reduce your risk of CO poisoning. But unanticipated dangerous incidents may still occur despite your best efforts to avoid CO. The installation of at least one CO detector in your home is a good safety precaution and in some municipalities it is the law. A detector might be your second line of defence, but it is necessary. You should have one in your home today.

There are performance differences between these detector types. However, changes to the CO standards have resulted in all detectors, regardless of detector type, having to undergo extensive testing. All are certified to operate under different environments (various chemical exposures, different relative humidities, etc.) satisfactorily if they meet the standards.

For more information check out http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/co/maho/yohoyohe/inaiqu/inaiqu_002.cfm