The Silent Intruder
No matter where you live, carbon monoxide can kill without any warning. Here’s how to keep your family safe.
By: Greg Cook
After Hurricane Katrina, many residents without
power turned to portable generators for electricity.
They may not have realized that these devices give
off carbon monoxide (CO) and, if used without proper
ventilation, could cause illness or death. According
to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), during the three-week period following Katrina’s
landfall, 51 people were treated for carbon monoxide
poisoning and five died, four in a single incident.
Emergency generators are not the only sources of
carbon monoxide—all fossil-fuel appliances
have the potential to produce dangerously high levels.
These include oil and gas furnaces and water heaters,
as well as wood-burning or gas fireplaces. Incomplete
combustion produces the toxic gas, and because it’s
odorless and colorless, you may never know what hit
you.
“Homeowners should be wary of carbon monoxide
seeping into their homes,” says Doyle James,
President of Aire
Serv ®. “Leaks are usually
caused by poor installation, operation and maintenance
of fuel-burning appliances and inadequate ventilation.”
One Family’s Close Call
Mark Stock still shudders when he recalls a life-threatening
incident at his Topeka, KS, home in December 2001.
It was a typical winter evening. Stock had lit a
fire in the gas-log fireplace, and the furnace had
been running. About 10:30 p.m, he turned off the
gas log and closed the damper before going to bed.
His wife complained of feeling ill, but thinking
sleep would help, she started to walk from the master
bathroom to the bed. She never made it.
“I went to help her and asked if she could
get up,” says Stock, “but she couldn’t.
She wasn’t on any medication or anything like
that, so I knew we had to get to the emergency room.
Our kids were old enough to watch themselves, so
we left them at home while we went to the hospital.
When we got there and discovered the cause was carbon
monoxide poisoning, they told us we needed to get
the kids out of there right away.”
The hospital notified the fire department, and
paramedics administered oxygen to the kids at the
scene. No one else had experienced any symptoms,
but Stock knows what could have happened if they
had all just gone to bed that night.
Next day Stock called Bruce Robinson, with the
Aire
Serv franchise in Topeka, Kansas, and asked
him to investigate. Robinson found problems with
the natural-gas furnace and the water heater. The
furnace had been enclosed in a closet that prevented
sufficient air for combustion, and the water heater
was not vented properly. Using the fireplace that
night compounded the issues.
“A fireplace removes an enormous amount of
air from a house,” Robinson says, “which
is why we recommend cracking open a window if you’re
going to have a fire.” Those problems were
rectified immediately. Today Stock is a believer
in annual safety inspections and carbon monoxide
detectors.
How Carbon Monoxide Kills
Carbon monoxide is found in combustion fumes such
as those produced by home heating systems, including
oil and gas furnaces, gas ranges, small gasoline
engines, lanterns, charcoal and wood fires, cars
and trucks. The problem comes when the gas builds
up in enclosed or semi-enclosed spaces.
When you breathe carbon monoxide in high enough
concentrations, the gas replaces oxygen in the bloodstream.
The resulting interruption of the normal supply of
oxygen threatens your heart, brain and other vital
functions, which can result in tissue damage and
death, according to findings by the CDC. All people
and animals are at risk, but certain groups are especially
susceptible: fetuses, infants, plus people with chronic
heart disease, anemia or respiratory problems.
Protect Your Family
Prevention is key: Don’t place yourself at
risk. John Carrier, owner of the Aire
Serv franchise in western Pennsylvania, says to start by ensuring
that chimneys are clear and unobstructed. He points
out that when furnaces and fireplaces are unused
for months at a time, it’s not uncommon for
birds to build nests that can block the chimney.
Next pay attention to the heat exchanger inside
your furnace. “The heat exchanger separates
the combustion process from the air stream to the
home,” Carrier says. “If there’s
a crack, it will let exhaust gases into the home.
That’s why we really stress having the heating
system checked on an annual basis.” Be sure
to call your professional agent for this service.
Using portable power generators in an emergency
is fraught with danger. “The common mistake
we see with portable electricity generators,” Carrier
says, “is that people will operate them too
close to the house or in the garage. Always make
sure a generator is away from any intake vents so
the fumes will not be taken up into the home.”
Evacuate, Ventilate, Investigate
If you suspect symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning
(see below), evacuate immediately and seek medical
attention. A blood test will confirm or rule out
CO poisoning. The treatment is oxygen therapy, delivered
either through a mask or in a full-body oxygen chamber.
Remember, if CO is leaking into your home, evacuate,
ventilate and investigate.
Greg Cook, a writer and editor who specializes in home improvement, building and remodeling, gives bonus points for a combined carbon monoxide and smoke detector.