Fire Safety: Carbon Monoxide Detectors
What Is Carbon Monoxide?
Carbon monoxide is colorless, odorless, tasteless toxic gas produced as a byproduct of combustion. Any fuel burning appliance, vehicle, tool or device has the potential to produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide gas. Examples of carbon monoxide (CO) producing devices common to the home environment:
Fuel Fired Furnaces (non-electric)
Gas Water Heaters
Fireplaces and Woodstoves
Gas Stoves
Gas Dryers
Charcoal Grills
Lawnmowers, snowblowers and other yard equipment
Automobiles
How Can I Tell if There is a Carbon Monoxide Leak in my Home?
If you or someone in your home feel like they are experiencing the following:
- headache, burning eyes, fainting, nausea, drowsiness or confusion
- symptoms improve when away from the home for a period of time
- often mistaken for common ailments like the flu
- symptoms experienced by more than one member of the household
Environmental
- strong penetrating odor or smell of gas when furnace or other fuel burning appliance turns on
- excessive moisture on windows or walls
- burner and pilot light flames are yellow/orange, not blue
- pilot light on the furnace or water heater goes out
- chalky white powder or soot buildup occurs around exhaust vent or chimney
- air feels stale/stuffy
What Do I Do If My CO Detector Sounds An Alarm
First and most importantly stay calm. Then the Mukwonago Fire Department is asking for you to do the following:
- Evacuate the residence as quickly as possible. - Do not open windows and doors to ventilate the building! Ventilation will make it very difficult for responders to locate the source of the alarm - Go to a neighbor’s home and call 911 - If there are any sick or injured family members please let the Mukwonago Fire Department know - Wait for the fire department to arrive. DO NOT go back inside the building until the Mukwonago Fire Department gives you the ok to go back inside. - If you must wait in a vehicle due to cold weather, pull the vehicle away from the home or garage. Vehicles left inside a garage will contribute to the problem. Common Causes for your CO Detector Sounding An Alarm
Many conditions can cause a carbon monoxide detector to alarm. Most are preventable. Proper placement of a detector and educated users will prevent notification to emergency services unnecessarily.
Some common causes of alarms are as follows:
- Running gas powered equipment or automobiles in a home or garage - Charcoal grilling in the home or garage - Malfunctioning appliances or equipment in the home - Malfunctioning or overly sensitive alarm - Inadequate ventilation of the home: Clogged Chimney for example - Improperly installed or old gas appliances like your gas dryer, gas furnace, or your gas stove. Number of Detectors and Placement
The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends a detector on each floor of a residence. At a minimum, a single detector should be place on each sleeping floor with an additional detector in the area of any major gas burning appliances.
Installation next to major appliances will ensure rapid detection of life-threatening levels of CO gas. And most importantly, installation of an detector next to sleeping areas will ensure hearing the alarm during sleep.
Carbon monoxide detectors should be placed high, near the ceiling, for most effective use. Detectors should not be placed within five feet of gas fueled appliances or near cooking or bathing areas.
Consult the manufacturer’s installation instructions for proper placement of a detector within a given area. Or contact the Mukwonago Fire Department and they will be happy to answer any questions about the placement of the detector.
You can purchase your Carbon Monoxide detector from most retail stores at affordable prices.
