Is Carbon Monoxide Monitoring Important?
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), unintentional CO exposure accounts for an estimated 15,000 emergency room visits and 500 unintentional deaths in the United States each year.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless, tasteless and poisonous gas that is the unwanted byproduct of the incomplete combustion of fuels such as gas, oil and wood. Experts suspect many more mistake symptoms of lower-level poisoning with those of the flu (headaches, dizziness, nausea and fatigue) and go untreated. The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends every home have at least one CO alarm that meets UL standard 2034.
Carbon monoxide comes from a variety of items we use in our homes everyday:
- Gas/oil furnace
- Gas/kerosene heater
- Gas water heater
- Gas appliances
- Cigarette smoke
- Wood/gas fireplace
- Clogged/uncleaned chimney
- Car in garage
Older homes may be at risk due to faulty equipment. Newer homes are at risk due to energy efficiency measures which make them more air-tight which keeps the poisonous gas inside the home.
Professionally installed, monitored carbon monoxide detectors can play a critical role in saving lives.
