Carbon Monoxide (CO)
What is Carbon Monoxide?
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a deadly, colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas. It is undetectable to human senses. Meaning, the only way to know it is present before it causes injury or death is to have a carbon monoxide alarm.
Carbon monoxide can invade any enclosed or semi-enclosed environment. It can travel through homes and entire buildings via heating and air conditioning ventilation systems, through hallways and up stairwells. In high concentrations, it can permeate drywall.
Where does CO come from?
Sources of carbon monoxide include fires in fireplaces and woodstoves, car exhaust, boat exhaust, charcoal grills, and any appliance, tool, or device that uses these fuels: kerosene, gasoline, coal, natural gas, propane, or methane.
How can I protect my family from CO poisoning?
- USE carbon monoxide alarms. It is impossible to foresee every possible type of exposure, and exposure can happen anywhere. Protect your family and your pets from carbon monoxide poisoning by installing alarms in your home and carrying an alarm with you when you travel. Other important places to have alarms: boats and RVs.
- KNOW what CO sources are installed in your home (e.g. gas-powered furnaces and appliances, fireplaces, woodstoves) and ensure they are maintained properly. Have them inspected annually by an HVAC or fire/gas industry professional. CO exposure can happen when these sources have leaks and/or if vents to the outside are blocked.
- DON’T use generators and gas-powered tools inside your home or garage. This includes pressure washers, concrete saws, and charcoal grills. Portable generators should be placed at least 20 feet away with the exhaust pointing away from your home. If you have a stationary backup generator installed near your home, be aware of the unique CO hazards that exist when it’s running. Always have a battery-operated CO alarm with you when a generator is in use.
- NEVER leave your car running in your garage (even with the garage door open).
What are the symptoms of CO poisoning?
In low concentrations, carbon monoxide poisoning causes headaches, nausea, drowsiness, and disorientation. In high concentrations, carbon monoxide can incapacitate and kill you within minutes, before you even experience symptoms. It is important to never rely on your ability to recognize symptoms of exposure – the only safe way to detect CO is with a CO alarm.
Additional resources for CO safety information:
For more detailed information on CO, visit the CDC’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
RESEARCH additional ways to be safe. A simple online search will bring up news articles about carbon monoxide poisoning incidents, or visit our CO incident blog. Learning about how other people have been exposed to carbon monoxide can help to have a better understanding of how to prevent it from happening to you and your family.
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Sources for information referenced on this page: NFPA, CDC, CPSC, ULSE