Comfort Line - Questions and Answers

What is carbon monoxide?

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas that can be released into a home by any equipment that burns solid, liquid or gaseous fuels.

How does it affect the body?

It combines with red blood cells and replaces oxygen in the blood stream. Therefore, it interferes with your blood stream's ability to deliver oxygen to the cells of your body.

What effect does exposure to carbon monoxide have on your health?

The health effects can vary from a mild headache to death, depending upon the exposure levels and time, as set forth in the table. As you can see, carbon monoxide is a very dangerous gas. A concentration of only 1% of the air, or 10,000 parts per million (PPM), will cause death in one to three minutes. The USEPA has set 35 PPM as the maximum allowable concentration for an 8-hour exposure.

What are the main sources of carbon monoxide in the home?

Carbon monoxide is produced as a by-product of the combustion process when any gaseous, liquid or solid fuel is burned. Some primary sources of CO in the home include automobile exhaust, wood stoves and fireplaces, barbecues, home heating equipment and gas stoves and ovens.

How much carbon monoxide is produced by home heating equipment?

In tests conducted at Brookhaven National Laboratory, it was determined that, on average, properly adjusted flame retention oil burners produce about 32 PPM of carbon monoxide. Research conducted by the American Gas Association and the Gas Research Institute indicate that average CO emissions for properly adjusted gas heating equipment is about 47 PPM. Both of these CO levels are very safe, especially since the CO being produced is carried up the chimney with the flue gases.

Wood stoves and fireplaces produce CO levels hundreds of times higher than oil or gas burners. USEPA data indicate that wood stoves and fireplaces can generate CO levels of more than 20,000 PPM, or 2% by volume. Therefore, wood stoves and fireplaces represent a very serious health risk if the combustion exhaust gases are not fully and completely vented from the house.

What happens to CO levels when heating equipment is not properly adjusted?

Oxygen is necessary for complete combustion. When the available oxygen is decreased, it adversely effects combustion. Both oil and gas heating equipment can produce elevated levels of CO when combustion air is decreased. However, they operate somewhat differently. Oil-fired equipment will smoke first and generate elevated levels of CO second. Gas equipment, on the other hand, will generate elevated levels of CO first and smoke second. Therefore, oil equipment has an important safety advantage. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, from 1981 to 1991, 3,036 people died in the United States from CO poisoning. Of that total, 78% of the deaths were caused by gas equipment and only 3% by oil equipment.

Should I have a CO detector and, if so, where should I locate it?

CO detectors are an important safety device that should be present in every home. Both plug in and battery operated types are available. CO detectors do not have to be located on the ceiling. Therefore, plug in detectors are recommended since they are easier to install and more reliable. They cost about $30 and can be installed in any electrical outlet.

CO detectors should be installed in the living space on each floor of your home. Do not locate them in the garage, over your boiler, or directly over a gas stove or oven. Experts also recommend that CO detectors that are more than three years old should be replaced, since the new generation of detectors are more accurate and less likely to generate false alarms.