Carbon monoxide can be a hidden danger in many homes.
It can be a silent killer as every year there are around 60 deaths from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning in England and Wales. It is a poisonous gas that has no smell or taste meaning you could be getting poisoned without even knowing it.
Breathing the deadly gas in can make you unwell, and it can kill if you're exposed to high levels. Many common home appliances have a high risk of leaking carbon monoxide, such as boilers, gas fires and cookers.
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It is always advisable to have a carbon monoxide detector in your home which would alert you to any possible leaks. But many people would not be aware of what to do if the alarm were to sound. Here is everything you need to know about the dangers of carbon monoxide in your home.
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning
Low-level exposure
According to the NHS website, the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are not always obvious, particularly during low-level exposure. A tension-type headache is the most common symptom of mild carbon monoxide poisoning.
Other symptoms include:
- dizziness
- feeling and being sick
- tiredness and confusion
- stomach pain
- shortness of breath and difficulty breathing
The symptoms of exposure to low levels of carbon monoxide can be similar to those of food poisoning and flu. But unlike flu, carbon monoxide poisoning does not cause a high temperature.
The symptoms can gradually get worse with prolonged exposure to carbon monoxide, leading to a delay in diagnosis. Your symptoms may be less severe when you're away from the source of the carbon monoxide.
High-level exposure
The longer you inhale the gas, the worse your symptoms will be. You may lose balance, vision and memory and, eventually, you may lose consciousness. This can happen within 2 hours if there's a lot of carbon monoxide in the air.
Breathing in high levels of carbon monoxide gas can cause more severe symptoms.
These may include:
- impaired mental state and personality changes (intoxication)
- the feeling that you or the environment around you is spinning (vertigo)
- loss of physical co-ordination caused by underlying damage to the brain and nervous system (ataxia)
- breathlessness and a heart rate of more than 100 beats per minute (tachycardia)
- chest pain caused by angina or a heart attack
- an uncontrollable burst of electrical activity in the brain that causes muscle spasms (seizures)
- loss of consciousness – in cases where there are very high levels of carbon monoxide, death may occur within minutes
What causes carbon monoxide to leak?
Carbon monoxide is produced when fuels such as gas, oil, coal and wood do not burn fully. Burning charcoal, running cars and the smoke from cigarettes also produce carbon monoxide gas. Gas, oil, coal and wood are sources of fuel used in many household appliances, including:
- boilers
- gas fires
- central heating systems
- water heaters
- cookers
- open fires
The risk of exposure to carbon monoxide from portable devices may also be higher in caravans, boats and mobile homes. Other possible causes of carbon monoxide poisoning include:
- blocked flues and chimneys – this can stop carbon monoxide escaping, allowing it to reach dangerous levels
- burning fuel in an enclosed or unventilated space – for example, running a car engine, petrol-powered generator or barbecue inside a garage, or a faulty boiler in an enclosed kitchen
- faulty or blocked car exhausts – a leak or blockage in the exhaust pipe, such as after heavy snowfall, could lead to a build-up of carbon monoxide
- paint fumes – some cleaning fluids and paint removers contain methylene chloride (dichloromethane); this substance is broken down by the body into carbon monoxide
- smoking shisha pipes indoors – shisha pipes burn charcoal and tobacco, which can lead to a build-up of carbon monoxide in enclosed or unventilated rooms
What to do when a carbon monoxide detector alarms?
According to Which consumer website, there are several steps you should take if your carbon monoxide alarm sounds.
- Open all doors and windows
Turn off all fuel-burning appliances and leave the house
Don’t switch on the lights, smoke or strike a match
Seek medical advice - call your GP or 999 for an ambulance immediately
Call the emergency advice line - For Gas Emergency Service call 0800 111 999 or if you use oil to heat your home call Oftec on 01473 626 298.
Arrange to have your appliances serviced
Other signs of a carbon monoxide leak
It's very important to be aware of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and to look out for warning signs. You should suspect carbon monoxide poisoning if:
- other people in your house, flat or workplace fall ill with similar symptoms
- your symptoms disappear when you go away (for example, on holiday) and return when you come back
- your symptoms tend to be seasonal – for example, if you get headaches more often during the winter, when the central heating is used more frequently
- your pets also become ill
Other possible clues of a carbon monoxide leak include:
- black, sooty marks on the front covers of gas fires
- sooty or yellow/brown stains on or around boilers, stoves or fires
- smoke building up in rooms because of a faulty flue
- yellow instead of blue flames coming from gas appliances
- pilot lights frequently blowing out
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