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Carbon Monoxide and How It Can Affect You and Your Family

Carbon monoxide kills thousands of people each year and injures many more. Like oxygen, CO enters the body through the lungs during the normal breathing process. It competes with oxygen by replacing it in the red blood cells, thereby reducing the flow of oxygen to the heart, brain and other vital organs. In high concentrations, CO can kill in minutes.

Many cases of reported carbon monoxide poisoning indicate that while victims are aware they are not feeling well, they become disoriented and unable to save themselves by either exiting the building or calling for assistance.

Common Sources of CO

  • Oil and gas furnaces, boilers, water heaters
  • Wood stoves
  • Barbecues
  • Wood or gas fireplaces
  • Gas Ovens
  • Electric Ovens in self-cleaning mode
  • Portable generators
  • Idling automobiles
  • Gas or kerosene heaters
  • Gasoline powered tools
  • Cigarette smoke

Educate Yourself and Your Family on the Sources and Symptoms of CO Poisoning and How to Use Your Low-Level Monitor

  • Buy appliances accepted by a recognized testing laboratory
  • Install appliances according to the manufacturer’s instructions & precautions
  • Get your combustion appliance installed only by trained professionals
  • Have your appliances checked regularly by a CO-certified technician
  • Clean chimneys and flues yearly
  • Make regular visual inspections of all fuel-burning appliances
  • Do not barbecue indoors, or in an attached garage
  • Do not run generators indoors, or near windows or doors.
  • Open windows when a fireplace or wood burning stove is in use
  • Be aware of CO poisoning symptoms

DO NOT:

  • Burn charcoal inside your home, camper, tent or cabin, or outside an open window
  • Install, convert or service fuel-burning appliances without proper knowledge, skill and expertise.
  • Use a gas range, oven or clothes dryer for heating.
  • Operate unvented gas burning appliances using kerosene or natural gas in closed rooms.
  • Operate gasoline-powered engines or generators indoors or in confined areas.
  • Ignore a safety device when it shuts an appliance off.
  • Use your monitor as a portable CO detector to test for spillage of CO from fuel-burning appliances or chimneys.

Symptoms of CO Poisoning*

The following symptoms may be related to CO poisoning and should be discussed with all members of the household:

  • Low-level Exposure (less than 35 ppm): of carbon monoxide poisoning can be confused with flu-like symptoms, food poisoning or other illnesses and can have significant long-term health risks if left untreated.
  • High-Level Exposure (more than 35 ppm; less than 70ppm): Severe throbbing headache, drowsiness, confusion, fast heart rate.
  • Crisis-Level Exposure (more than 70ppm): Unconsciousness, convulsions, cardio-respiratory failure, death.


*These symptoms are typical for healthy adults.  The critically or chronically ill, pregnant women, infants, the elderly, and others with respiratory difficulties can be impacted earlier and experience more adverse effects.

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