Install Detectors In The Home To Avoid Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - Colorado Department Of Health

Main Category: Public Health
Also Included In: Medical Devices / Diagnostics
Article Date: 09 Dec 2008 - 3:00 PDT

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State health officials are urging Coloradans to purchase and install carbon monoxide detectors in their homes to prevent exposure to carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless gas that is produced when any fuel is incompletely burned.

With temperatures dropping, thermostats in the home get turned up, which could increase the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning if heating equipment goes unchecked and turns out to be faulty, warned state health officials.

"Carbon monoxide detectors are as important to home safety as smoke detectors, and each home should have at least one detector in an area near individual bedrooms," said Therese Pilonetti, a program manager for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's Consumer Protection Division.

She explained that carbon monoxide can leak from faulty furnaces or fuel-fired heaters or can be trapped inside by a blocked chimney or flue. "Burning charcoal inside the house or running an automobile engine in an attached garage also will produce carbon monoxide in the home," said Pilonetti.

She said the first line of defense against carbon monoxide is to make certain that all fuel-burning appliances operate properly. "Have your home heating systems, including chimneys and flues, inspected each year for proper operations and leakage. Make certain an inspector checks all heating appliances and their electrical and mechanical components, thermostat controls and automatic safety devices," Pilonetti advised.

The second line of defense is a properly working carbon monoxide detector, which can provide an early warning to consumers before the gas builds up to a dangerous level. Exposure to a low concentration of carbon monoxide over several hours can be as dangerous as exposure to high carbon monoxide levels for a few minutes. The new detectors will detect both conditions.

Pilonetti said carbon monoxide detectors are affordable, costing as little as $10.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are similar to flu-like illnesses and include dizziness, fatigue, headaches, nausea and irregular breathing. For a brochure on carbon monoxide, call Ellen Cohen at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's Office of Communications, 303-692-2021.

Colorado Dept. of Health and Environment
http://www.cdphe.state.co.us

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