Carbon Monoxide
CARBON MONOXIDE - ARE YOU SAFE?
WHAT IS CARBON MONOXIDE (CO) AND WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?
| Carbon monoxide is a highly poisonous gas produced when gas, coal or oil is burnt inefficiently. It has no smell, taste or colour. It is silent, invisible and deadly. It leaks from flues and appliances when they have been poorly maintained or simply break down. Even adverse weather conditions have been given as official reason behind leaks of CO that proved fatal. |
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checking for correct co & co2 levels
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WHAT CAN CARBON MONOXIDE DO TO YOU?
It can kill quickly when it leaks in large quantities or can build up over a period of time, initially causing symptoms such as headaches, nausea and dizziness. Colorless and odorless, carbon monoxide can infiltrate the body's blood, sapping it of life-sustaining oxygen. Even short-term exposure to large amounts -- such as unknowingly sleeping in a house with a faulty boiler -- can trigger headaches, nausea and confusion. Those symptoms are warning signs that insufficient oxygen is reaching the brain and other vital organs. These are often incorrectly diagnosed by the medical profession as flu.
WHO IS AT RISK FROM CO POISONING?
All humans and animals are at risk from carbon monoxide poisoning. No one is immune. ROSPA report around 200 deaths in the UK each year and many more injuries from CO poisoning in the home. Experts believe that those most at risk are young children, pregnant women and people with respiratory problems.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO PROTECT YOURSELF?
Always ensure that your AGA, Rayburn and all oil fired appliances are regularly checked and serviced (annually). This will reduce the chance of a CO leak but not eliminate it as appliances can become faulty and flues blocked in-between service dates.
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