Carbon monoxide (CO) is a deadly gas that we can’t detect through our senses, as it doesn’t have a smell, taste or color, and it works fast. High concentrations of CO can build up quickly, cause significant damage to one’s health, and even result in death. If your home has any appliances or equipment that combust, you’ll want to install at least one carbon monoxide detector this year to stay in the safe zone.
Any home equipment that burns fuel produces carbon monoxide during that process. While equipment such as a gas furnace is designed with sealed combustion to prevent exposure, it is not uncommon for the seal to be compromised in some way. When this happens, CO is leaked into the home.
Once CO gets into the bloodstream, it prevents your body from getting the oxygen so important for your organs to function, which is what makes it so dangerous. This can happen in as little as two hours, leaving you unconscious from exposure to high concentrations of CO. In that state, you won’t be able to evacuate from your home and escape to safety.
While getting regular preventive maintenance can help ensure the safety of your combustible equipment, and having a ventilation system ensures a regular influx of fresh air and an exhaust of old air, detectors are the best and most affordable recourse. For less than $100, you should be able to select a quality carbon monoxide detector to alert you to dangerous CO levels. Additionally, you may want to pay a little more for a device that alerts you to low levels of CO, which also compromise your health when exposure spans a long period of time.
Carbon monoxide poisoning is generally avoidable, if you have the necessary equipment to detect it. Ensure your safety by installing quality carbon monoxide detectors throughout your home, with one located near sleeping areas, and one on each level of a multi-story home. Arpi’s Industriesis happy to help. Call us for a consultation, and we can evaluate your combustible appliances and the CO levels in your home.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about CO detectors and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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