Also called the silent killer, carbon monoxide is the most dangerous of all indoor environmental factors. Carbon monoxide is the most frequent cause of death by unintentional poisoning world wide. It is estimated that over 200,000 people suffer carbon monoxide-induced heart attacks each year.

Indoor Carbon Monoxide Sources and Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

On this page:

• Carbon monoxide indoor production and sources
• Carbon monoxide poisoning and symptoms
• Prevention of indoor carbon monoxide poisoning

Carbon Monoxide Indoor Production and Sources

When considering home environmental issues, first we have to think of carbon monoxide; how is it produced indoors and what are the sources.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a gas without color, smell, or taste. It is produced in small amounts anywhere a fire is burning, whether fueled by natural gas, oil, coal, wood, or gasoline. When the oxygen level is low, proportionally larger amounts of carbon monoxide are produced. Thus, fuel burning appliances and fireplaces that do not get sufficient fresh air produce carbon monoxide.

Dangerous amounts of carbon monoxide can accumulate due to improper ventilation or an appliance that is defective, incorrectly installed, or poorly maintained. Indoor sources of carbon monoxide could be: gas stoves, furnaces, water heaters, non-vented gas fireplaces, and grills.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning and Symptoms

Carbon monoxide enters the lungs as part of the breathing air. It is then absorbed into the blood stream where it bonds to hemoglobin lowering the red blood cells ability to take oxygen. In this way reduces the normal supply of oxygen to cells causing functional disturbances in the brain, heart, and other vital organs.

Carbon monoxide poisoning is insidious, meaning the affected people do not feel anything or have any clue of what is going on; infants, small children, expecting mothers, and pets are affected first.

Carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms

• Mild: slight headaches, tiredness, lack of energy.
• Moderate: frontal headache that may become widespread, very low energy level, lack of appetite. Long time exposure can lead to permanent neurological damage.
• Severe: dizziness, nausea, convulsions, unconsciousness, death.

The severity of symptoms depends on the carbon monoxide concentration in the air and the duration of exposure. While exposure to a high concentration of carbon monoxide can cause death, exposure to a low concentration for an extended time can cause serious debilitating conditions such as heart attacks or permanent neurological damage. Exposure levels of 30 ppm can make most people sick.

New medical findings reveal that exposure to low carbon monoxide levels can cause decreased fetal growth, can damage hearing in young children to the extent of permanent hearing loss.

If you find yourself suffering from unexplained illness, fatigue, muscle pains, upset stomach, lethargy, dizziness, or headaches, it may be due to higher levels of carbon monoxide in your blood, consult your doctor. If the doctor confirms, have a home inspector check out your house. Usually smokers are at higher risk of poisoning because they already have twice as much carbon monoxide in their blood vs. non-smokers.

Examples of death from carbon monoxide poisoning

The deadly effects of carbon monoxide poisoning in the home were apparent during the ice storm that swept through Southeast Michigan in April 2003. Over 300,000 homes and businesses remained without electricity for one day or more. One home owner ran a gasoline-burning power generator in the basement, while another ran his in the garage with the kitchen door open. Power generators can produce high levels of carbon monoxide. As the oxygen in these houses was consumed, the generators released more carbon monoxide. Both families suffered carbon monoxide poisoning, and 2 children died. Death by carbon monoxide poisoning can occur in as little as 15 to 20 minutes.

During the winter of 2007, 16 people died in Michigan due to carbon monoxide poisoning.

News Quote

"The death toll from Rita, rose to seven in Beaumont, Texas, with the discovery of five bodies in an apartment — a man, a woman and three children — who apparently were killed by carbon monoxide from a generator they were running indoors after Rita knocked out the electricity."

Prevention of Indoor Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

A few basic guidelines to protect yourself from carbon monoxide poisoning:

• Regularly air out your home. Unless your heating system is set up with continuous fresh air intake, keep windows and doors open for at least a few minutes every morning and evening even during the winter, to refresh the air inside the house.
• Keep at least one basement window open the entire warm season except when leaving home (security).
• When using gas-burning appliances, look at the flame. It's color should be blue. A yellowish-orange flame indicates that higher levels of carbon monoxide are being produced.
• Periodically make sure the flues are clear. Sometimes birds nest in chimney flues, or the flue dampers are defective, causing combustion products accumulation. If you burn wood most of the winter, have your chimney cleaned every year.
• Inspect the furnace or have it inspected before the heating season, especially older furnaces. When you see many rust flakes depositing on the burners there is a possibility the heat exchanger is cracked. Make sure the flues are not corroded of perforated.
• Water heaters can also be a source of carbon monoxide because they are used more then any other fuel-burning appliance throughout the year, check the water heater on regular bases paying special attention to flues.
• Install at least one carbon monoxide detector in your home. A carbon monoxide detector is not the same as a smoke alarm. I recommend installing one in the basement as well, close to the furnace and water heater.
• If you are renting and there is no carbon monoxide detector ask your landlord to install one.

A safety inspection is also recommended at least every 5 years. The inspection not only measures present carbon monoxide formation in the house but evaluates the conditions that could lead to carbon monoxide formation so they can be eliminated before the production occurs. For fees visit Safety Inspections on our business website.

 

BACK TO TOP

Thank you for visiting Michigan Home Inspections Company website