Protecting your home from Carbon Monoxide
Protecting your home from Carbon Monoxide
Carbon Monoxide Gas is highly toxic and cannot be smelled or tasted. Co gas can be produced when a gas appliance is operating with too little oxygen supply provided to the combustion chamber. Correctly operating gas appliances create Carbon Dioxide, a harmless gas. Reduced oxygen supplies can lead to Co. Following the adoption of regular gas boiler servicing and regulations governing air levels deaths from Carbon Monoxide Gas have been held at 30 per annum although there are many more injuries from poisoning.
What will I see if I have a Co issue in my home?
If you see stains, soot or coloration on or near central heating appliances, fires and water heaters this could indicate that you have a potential problem. Another way to check for gas burning problems is to scrutinise pilot lights and see whether they are burning with a yellow or other colour flame rather than the blue light of a well maintained system. Treat the pilot light like a traffic light, if it turns yellow this is a warning and you should arrange for the gas appliance to be serviced as quickly as you can.
How do I protect my family from Carbon Monoxide and likely poisoning?
The underlying cause of Co production is lack of air to a gas flame. Gas appliance engineers will check the ventilation and combustion efficiency of your gas appliances during the regular maintenance visits eliminating the causes of poor combustion. To guarantee compliance with the gas appliance servicing rules make sure that the service engineer you hire to service your appliances has CORGI registration. Carbon Monoxide detectors, carrying a British Standard kite mark, are an important addition to a plan to protect your home against possible poisoning by Carbon Monoxide gas. Provision of the advocated ventilation to gas appliances is essential and you should regularly scrutinise any air vents to ensure that the flow of air can be maintained. Gas appliances and boilers may not be used in the summer months but air vents can become obstructed at this time through the growth of plants and vegetation in the garden, this is a potential problem which you should keep in mind. Birds can often build nests in chimneys and block the airflow to gas appliances without you knowing, a visual inspection from the ground should be included within your ventilation action plan. ensure that you are aware of the different sounds from your smoke alarms and your Co alarms. If the Carbon Monoxide detector alarm noises be certain that it was your Co detector and not your smoke detector.
What are the dangers associated with Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?
Act quickly and be very cautious if there are any marks of Co inhalation in your family. It is better to act quickly if you spot any signs as prevarication could lead to a death. Be decisive and look after your family straight away. Co poisoning can affect anyone irregardless of age. This also applies to home Favourite animals.
Are there any warning signs of the presence of Co?
Co poisoning exhibits signs which can appear like other sicknesses, for example: -
- regular incidences of head aches
- queasiness
- weariness
- billiousness
If you notice symptoms such as these when you have gas appliances in the home, stop using the appliance without delay, increase ventilation to the rooms, take any inhabitants outside and ensure that your gas appliances are inspected by a CORGI registered service engineer.