The following text is from the booklet (1996), prepared as a public service by First Alert in cooperation with the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. If you have questions about carbon monoxide, contact your local gas utility, a qualified heating contractor, or the Extension Services office listed in the white pages of your phone book. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless deadly gas. you can't see, taste, or smell it, carbon monoxide can kill you before you know it's there. Everyone is at risk for carbon monoxide poisoning. believe, however, that individuals with greater oxygen requirements such as unborn babies, infants, children, senior citizens, and people with coronary or respiratory problems are at greater risk. The great danger of carbon monoxide is its attraction to hemoglobin in the bloodstream. When breathed in, carbon monoxide

replaces the oxygen which cells need to function. When CO is present in the air, it rapidly accumulates in the blood, causing symptoms similar to the flu, such as headaches, fatigue, nausea, dizzy spells,As levels increase, vomiting, loss of consciousness, and eventually brain damage or death can result. Carbon monoxide is a by-product of combustion, present wheneverIt is produced by common home appliances, such as gas or oil furnaces, gas refrigerators, gas clothes dryers, gas ranges, gas water heaters or space heaters, fireplaces, charcoal grills, andFumes from automobiles and gas-powered lawn mowers also contain carbon monoxide and can enter a home through walls or doorways if an engine is left running in an attached All of these sources can contribute to a CO problem in the home. If a home is vented properly and is free from appliance malfunctions, air pressure fluctuations or airway blockages, carbon monoxide will most likely be safely vented to the outside.

But in today's "energy efficient" homes this is frequently not the case. constructed/sealed homes can trap CO-polluted air in a homeFurnace heat exchangers can crack, vents can become blocked, inadequate air supply for combustion appliances can cause conditions known as backdrafting or reverse stacking, which force contaminated air back into the home. Exhaust fans on range hoods,central air conditioning units problems clothes dryers and bathroom fans can also pull combustion productshow to disconnect a central air conditioning unit The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommendsac units with solar installing at least one carbon monoxide detector per household, nearAdditional detectors on every level of a home and

in every bedroom provide extra protection. Laboratories Inc. (UL) listed detector that sounds an audible alarm. You can choose a model that is wired to your home's electrical system, a model which plugs into a standard electrical outlet, or aBattery-operated carbon monoxide detectors continue to protect even in the event of a power outage. models, although more costly and difficult to install, reduce the expense of battery replacement but do not offer protection duringHardwired AC models with battery back-up offer double Gas appliances should be serviced yearly by a qualified serviceStove burners should be cleaned and adjusted to minimize the amount of carbon monoxide produced. Before making changes to a house that might affect the ventilation of fuel-burning appliances, contact your heating contractor. When replacing heating appliances, purchase appliances designed to reduce dangers from carbon monoxide, such as sealed combustion gas furnaces, direct vent gas fireplaces,

or induced draft gas water heaters. appliances do not produce carbon monoxide. If your carbon monoxide detector sounds, first make sure it is your CO detector and not your smoke detector. of carbon monoxide detectors listed with UL will be marked "carbon monoxide detector" in a contrasting color on the cover. detectors feature a warning alarm which will sound before the fullIf your detector is in warning alarm, carbon monoxide is beginning to accumulate. It is important to locate and eliminate the source of CO before the condition worsens. HVAC contractor or appliance service technician can inspect your home to determine the cause of carbon monoxide build-up. If your detector is in full alarm and any member of the household is experiencing symptoms of poisoning, call your local fireRemember that infants and children may be affected more quickly by carbon monoxide. Be sure to see if they areIf no one is feeling symptoms, ventilate the

home with fresh air, turn off all potential sources of carbon monoxide and have a qualified technician inspect your combustion In addition to installing carbon monoxide detectors, consumers should regularly inspect and service potential problem sources of are frequently the source of leaks and should be carefully inspected. Have a professional check the following: all venting systems to the outside, including flues and chimneys for proper design and installation, cracks, corrosion, holes, debris, orAnimals and birds can build nests in chimneys, preventing all other appliances that use flammable fuels such as natural gas, oil, wood, or kerosene. sure space heaters are vented properly. Unvented space heaters that use a flammable fuel such as kerosene can release carbon monoxide grills should never be operated indoors, nor should stove tops or ovens that operate on flammable fuels ever be used to heat a fireplaces for closed, blocked or bent flues, soot, and debris.

the clothes dryer vent opening outside the house for lint. If initial testing does not confirm the presence of carbon monoxide, there may be several reasons. equipment used to measure the presence of carbon monoxide in the air must be calibrated to sense low levels of gas concentration. doors or windows are left open or appliances are turned off and outside air enters the home, carbon monoxide can dissipate. creates a lower reading than the level that triggered the alarm. appliances, flues and chimneys are confirmed to be in good working order, the source of carbon monoxide leaks may be from This condition exists primarily in tightly sealed/constructedFlue gases normally vent to the outside through flues andAir pressure inside a tightly sealed home may become lower than outside, causing outside air to flow into the house through Inadequate air supply in a room where two or more combustion-driven appliances share the same air source, such as a