Unveiling the Silent Threat: Carbon Monoxide in Your Home

Today, let’s dive into an important topic for our homes – Carbon Monoxide (CO). It might sound like a big science word, but understanding it is crucial to keeping our families safe. We hope this article will break down key things and answer your common questions about Carbon Monoxide.

What is Carbon Monoxide?

Carbon monoxide, or CO for short, is an invisible, deadly gas. It’s colourless and odourless, making it impossible to detect without special tools. You can’t see or smell it, but it can sneak into our homes. If it builds up, it can be deadly. It is known as the silent killer.

How is Carbon Monoxide Formed?

CO comes from burning wood, oil, or gas. When our home appliances, like heaters, stoves or fireplaces, don’t burn things right, CO can form. Checking and fixing these appliances is important to keep CO away. When the colder days hit our region, we rely more on our heating systems.

Can You Smell Carbon Monoxide?

No, you can’t smell carbon monoxide! Unlike gas, which has a smell to give us a heads up, CO is sneaky and doesn’t give off any scent. That’s why having detectors is a big deal – they can catch what our noses can’t. So, relying on our sense of smell won’t help here!

Carbon Monoxide vs. Carbon Dioxide

Okay, let’s keep it simple – CO and CO2 might sound alike but differ. CO is harmful to us and comes from things burning wrong. CO2 is just a regular part of the air. Keeping our homes well-ventilated helps ensure we have more good air (CO2) and less harmful (CO).

Will a Carbon Monoxide Detector Detect a Gas Leak?

Simply, no! CO detectors are not great at sniffing other gases like natural gas, methane or propane. Natural gas contains an odorant to make it smell like rotten eggs. If you sense that smell, it may indicate a leak in the home’s pipelines. Ensuring you have the right detectors is the smart way to keep your home safe.

Carbon Monoxide with Hemoglobin

Now, this part gets a bit sciency. CO likes our blood more than oxygen does. When inhaled, carbon monoxide creates something called carboxyhemoglobin, which stops our blood from carrying oxygen. Common symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure to watch for are headache, nausea, rapid breathing, weakness, exhaustion, dizziness, and confusion. Even some carbon monoxide poisoning can be a big problem for our health. So, understanding this connection is key to staying healthy and safe. One tip is that if you have symptoms at home, and they go away after you leave, but return again after being home awhile, you might suspect you have a CO issue.

Can Carbon Monoxide Cause Cancer?

CO is not considered carcinogenic but is still bad for your health. Inhaling this unseen gas can lead to severe problems, including potentially fatal outcomes. This emphasizes the importance of having dependable detectors and taking proactive measures to maintain your home systems.

Are Carbon Monoxide Detectors Required in Ontario?

Since 2014, Ontario has mandated that homes with a gas heater or an attached garage have a working carbon monoxide detector. This includes condos and apartment buildings. Landlords are responsible for installing and maintaining carbon monoxide alarms in rental units. 

Find more information and tips for carbon monoxide safety from the government of Ontario 

Who Sets Carbon Monoxide Exposure Limits?

Clever folks at health groups, including Health Canada, set the limits for how much CO is safe. We need to know these limits to keep our homes safe. It’s like having a safety guide to follow, making sure we’re all breathing good air. 

Read more about Residential Indoor Air Quality Guideline: Carbon Monoxide from the Government of Canada

What Do I Do If My CO Detector is Going Off?

If the alarm sounds, vacate the house. Then, it's best to call 911 so the fire department can come out and test for the source of carbon monoxide. Once they've identified what is causing carbon monoxide to be released in your home, you'll need to contact a licensed professional to service the offending appliance.

Conclusion:

Carbon monoxide is a silent danger. But, armed with knowledge and taking action, we can keep it away. 

Make sure you install a CO detector on each floor of your home. You can get ones now with a 10-year battery life. Get your heating system, water heater, and any other gas, oil, or coal appliances checked by a pro every year. Look out for signs of CO trouble. If you ever feel dizzy, light-headed, or sick and think it’s CO, get medical help fast.

Being smart about CO is how we keep our homes safe and cozy for our families. Stay safe, London!

O’Brien Home Inspections

Quality Home Inspections for London, St. Thomas and Middlesex County

Book your inspection online, or call 226-998-5821 or book online today.