The Dangers of Carbon Monoxide
Source: First Alert®, BRK Brands, National Fire Protection Association
Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless deadly gas. It's a common by-product of incomplete combustion, produced when oil, gas or coal burns. Sources in the home are:
- gas and oil furnaces
- refrigerators
- clothes dryers
- water heaters
- fireplaces
- charcoal grills
- space heaters
- automobile fumes that enter a home through walls or doorways (if a car is left running in an attached garage)
If a home is vented properly and is free from appliance malfunctions, air pressure fluctuations or airway blockages, the carbon monoxide will most likely be safely vented to the outside. Since you can not see, taste or smell it, carbon monoxide can kill you before you know it's there. Exposure to low levels over time can make you sick. Individuals with greater oxygen requirements such as unborn babies, infants, children or people with respiratory or coronary problems are at a greater risk for carbon monoxide poisoning.