Carbon
Monoxide
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless and deadly gas. Because you can't see or smell it, carbon monoxide can kill before you know it's there. Today's more energy efficient, airtight home designs contribute to the problem by trapping CO-polluted air inside the home.
Why is carbon monoxide dangerous?
 The greatest danger of carbon monoxide is its attraction to hemoglobin in the bloodstream. Carbon monoxide is breathed in through the lungs and bonds with the hemoglobin in your blood, displacing the oxygen which cells need to function. When CO is present in the air it rapidly accumulates in the blood. It will eventually displace enough oxygen in your system to suffocate you from the inside out, resulting in brain damage or death.
Where does carbon monoxide come from?
Any fuel burning appliance can be a source of carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is produced when any type of fuel (i.e. gas, kerosene, oil, propane, etc.) is incompletely burned or exposed to heat (as in a fire). Typical appliances that we rely on for comfort such as our furnace, fireplaces, clothes dryers or stoves are often the main source of CO and when they malfunction or are not properly ventilated, CO levels rise quickly.
What are the symptoms of CO Poisoning?
 CO poisoning can cause a variety of symptoms based on the length of exposure.
Mild Exposure: slight headache; nausea; vomiting; fatigue (often described as "flu-like" symptoms)
Medium Exposure: severe, throbbing headache; drowsiness; confusion; accelerated heart rate
Extreme Exposure: unconsciousness; convulsion; heart and lung failure; brain damage; death
Understanding the effects of CO exposure.
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Concentration of CO in the air
(ppm = parts per million)
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Symptoms & Approximate
Exposure Time
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50 ppm
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maximum allowable concentration
for continuous exposure in any
8-hour period (per OSHA)
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200 ppm
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slight headache, fatigue, dizziness
and nausea after 2-3 hours
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400 ppm
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frontal headache within 1-2 hours,
life-threatening after 3 hours
maximum ppm for flue gases per EPA
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800 ppm
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dizziness, nausea & convulsions within
45 minutes; unconsciousness within
2 hours; death in 2-3 hours
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1,600 ppm
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headache, dizziness & nausea within
20 minutes; death within 1 hour
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3,200 ppm
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headache, dizziness & nausea within
5-10 minutes; death within 30 minutes
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6,400 ppm
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headache, dizziness & nausea within
1-2 minutes; death within 10-15 minutes
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12,800 ppm
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death within 1-3 minutes
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If you suspect carbon monoxide is present in your home, leave the premises immediately and contact the fire department for further assistance. Do not open any windows for ventilation prior to exiting the home. This will cause the CO level to dissipate and prevent us from getting an accurate reading with our monitors.
Download a carbon monoxide flyer
Download the "Carbon Monoxide Detector Alarm" law
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