At least 1200 homes in the UK could be potential death traps for the residents living in them! These homes have concealed flue boiler systems, which are prone to carbon monoxide leaks and have already caused two known deaths so far. The Health and Safety Executive has issued warnings after this fact came to light. The homes which have been deemed ‘immediately dangerous’ will have to be assessed for safety by the relevant officials and remedial action will be taken if required.

There are some steps you can take to ensure that you stay safe within your home from such accidents. The HSE recommends annual gas checks on your appliances by a Gas Safe registered engineer who is qualified to spot leaks. For tenants, the landlord must undertake to carry out this periodic check. He or she is required to give you a copy of the gas safety check certificate.

Servicing your appliances and keeping them in good working condition is important to stay clear of the risk of dangerous emissions like CO in your home. Get your chimney cleaned completely at least once a year to ensure free flow of smoke and fumes to the outside.

Make sure you hire Gas Safe registered technicians for all repairs and new installations. These technicians can detect leakages in existing gas appliances and ensure leak proof installation of new devices.

The HSE also strongly recommends using CO alarms within your home. Make sure you get alarms that are approved by the appropriate regulatory authority and carry the mark of credibility and reliance. These devices should comply with British Standard EN 50291 and should be certified to be effective leak detectors.

Remember, CO is a silent killer and you may not even know you are breathing it in. Take the right precautionary measures now to stay safe at home.

The death of a young dance teacher in West London sent shock waves across the nation in February 2008. The death was a tragic and wholly unexpected occurrence no doubt. But what made it even more horrifying is that the young woman died within the ‘safety’ of her own home.

Investigations revealed that the dance teacher died from inhaling poisonous carbon monoxide gas, a silent killer in her home. The gas was traced to the concealed flue boiler system that had been installed in the home.

In 2007, another resident had died from carbon monoxide poisoning in a home which used a similar boiler system. It was only after the 2008 tragedy that this earlier one was viewed in a different light – as having been caused by faulty evacuation of dangerous gases from the boiler. Surprisingly, both homes had all the necessary gas safety certificates.

Concealed flue boilers can become killing machines if they are not installed properly or in the right places. Gas fired central heating devices such as these can be producing dangerous levels of carbon monoxide (CO) if they are not functioning properly. If the flue which carries this deadly gas out of the house has breaks or gaps, then the CO can escape into the ceiling and enclosed spaces where it is ‘concealed’ from view. You can imagine how easily the same gas can permeate into your living spaces through gaps or openings in the ceiling or enclosure.

Because these flues are concealed, it is virtually impossible to gain access to these areas on a regular basis for periodic checks by qualified professionals. Although warnings have been issued and many builders using this system have run checks and installed CO leak detectors, the fact remains that the concealed flue boilers have cost two lives recently and may still be endangering lives of many others. If your home has a concealed flue boiler system, you should run a thorough check on it immediately. It could save your life.

Residents of a condo in Town of Milton recently faced the lethal menace of CO poisoning. The deadly carbon monoxide fumes entered the living areas of one of the flats. The residents of this contaminated flat succumbed to the lethal gas.

James Folk and his fiancée Joan Leith, both retired, lived in the flat. The couple was found lying unconscious in the house when relatives opened up the door after failing to get any response despite repeated knocks and calls.

Authorities found high levels of carbon monoxide inside the flat when they tested it post the tragic event. The couple was believed to have left their minivan running through the night by accident. The exhaust fumes from the van filled the garage and then permeated the home too, causing them to breathe in the killer fumes. The worst part is, the couple probably had no idea what was happening and couldn’t have even managed to make any attempt to save themselves.

Neighbors shudder to think that this could have so easily happened to them as well. CO has no odor, no color and it is virtually impossible to detect it in your atmosphere before it is too late. Inhaling excessive amounts of the gas can be fatal and it all happens too quickly for you can react and move out to safety.

Prevention is the best solution where CO air contamination is concerned. It is recommended to install CO alarms and undertake periodic checks of gas appliances to prevent leaks. All potential sources of CO should also be kept out of access to indoors, where the CO can accumulate to lethal levels.

Although there has been a significant decrease over the years in deaths due to accidents in the home, approximately 400 to 500 people will still die senselessly and without notice due to the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. This number is garnered from the thousands of people who were hospitalized due to the effects of accidental CO poisoning, with Fall being the time of year that provides the greatest risk.

Fall is by far the most dangerous time of year for carbon monoxide issues in your home. People are feeling the winter chill seeping into their homes, and as such as starting up furnaces, wood stoves, portable heaters, and boilers for the first time since Spring. Although they start up quickly and appear to be safe and working well, carbon monoxide could be seeping into your home. It’s lethal, because you cannot see it, smell it, or hear it escaping into the air around you. For the little people in your family, including unborn babies, CO is extremely dangerous.

Your furnace or boiler can place you at risk

How new is your furnace? Older heating equipment was based on a system of natural draft. Warm air rises to vent CO efficiently to the outdoors, thus removing the threat of CO in your home environment. Issues would occur when leaks were present. Perhaps your vent pipe was shaken loose, or your pipes experienced metal fatigue from constantly being heated up and therefore caused large cracks. Gases condensing under your chimney can cause leaks, and also corrode metal.

Signs of wear you can see

Taking a look at your furnace vent or chimney, check for rust or water streaks, panels that appear to be missing, or debris scattered around your furnace. Also be sure to look for disconnected pipes, loose hardware that is on your chimney or furnace vent, and moisture inside your interior windows. If you have any doubts at all, it’s always the best course of action to get a professional to perform an inspection immediately.

Hidden dangers from wear and tear you CAN’T see

The most dangerous part of a faulty furnace is that you cannot view internal damage. Even the most handy homeowner can’t establish whether there is hidden, internal damage to the inside parts of your furnace, your vents or blockage in your chimney. It is vitally important to your health and family safety to have a professional check your furnace at the beginning of your yearly heating cycle to ensure it’s proper functioning. Generally the check on your furnace is thought of as ongoing maintenance, including: Tuning the burners, adjusting the flow of the blowers, cleaning the pilot light, checking for adequate gas pressure, setting the dampers, replacing and cleaning your filter, and many other small heating system checks that ensure that your furnace runs properly.

The definition of Backdraft

You may not realize it, but your home has the ability to depressurize. Backdraft occurs when the pressure in your house becomes lower than the pressure of the atmosphere outside of your home. In cases of depressurization, flue gases can cause backdraft. If you sit in front of your fireplace and feel a draft coming in, your home may be depressurized.

If you have a new furnace and appliances, your home will be more efficient and will not release waste heat to the degree that older furnaces do. As the heat waste is not substantial enough to create a natural draft to release combustible gases, these furnaces have power vents and sealed systems. Extra fans are used to remove the gases, and the chance of backdrafting CO spillage is much less with these new furnaces.

Newer, modern gas furnaces and appliances are more efficient and thus release less waste heat. Because the heat is insufficient to create a natural draft to push out the combustion by-products, the furnaces and boilers have power vents and sealed combustion systems. They draw their combustion air from outside the home and use an extra fan to exhaust the combustion gases. The chance of a carbon monoxide leaks from backdrafting is dramatically less with these furnaces.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Symptoms

If you have an acute headache, vertigo, signs of confusion, upset stomach, or faintness, you may have carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon Monoxide is dangerous because once you begin to feel the symptoms; death is a very real possibility. Symptoms also occur with minimal exposure, including inability to catch your breath, slight nausea, and minor headache.

Be aware that the symptoms of CO poisoning are similar to the flu, and you can mistake these symptoms for a normal illness. Watch for when you exhibit symptoms, such as when you leave home or return home. Feeling ill in your home is a clear sign of CO poisoning. As well, if others are feeling in the same way as you, this is a very good indicator that your symptoms are due to your environment.

Don’t wait to act on your symptoms

If you feel as though you have been exposed to CO, open all doors and windows in your home and turn off any appliances that might be combustible. Leave your home and go to the nearest hospital, telling the physicians that you suspect carbon monoxide exposure. The emergency staff may perform a blood test to confirm CO poisoning.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors

You should always have carbon monoxide detectors installed, and although they are good back up plan, you should always have your furnace checked regularly. Check out our Calgary furnace rebates for energy upgrades while you are at it.

You may experience these symptoms:

From: Jain, K.K. (1990) Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, Warren H. Green, Inc., St. Louis, MO

Symptoms that may indicate you have Chronic Carbon Monoxide poisoning are fatigue, lack of energy, limited drive to perform usual activities, diagnosed clinical depression, or hormone specific disorders. Symptoms develop over time, and often are only diagnosed after a lengthy exposure to CO. Often, the discovery of CO poisoning is made by accident, as it’s not always measurable in the blood or the air.

Out of all of the appliances in your home, your furnace works the hardest. During the cold winter months, your furnace can turn off and on nearly 9000 times. Because of how much you rely on your furnace and how hard it works, it absolutely needs a safety check on an annual basis.

Carbon Monoxide testing is not something to be taken lightly. Findings from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which recently analyzed CO poisonings from 1992 to 1996, found that the furnace issues made up almost 74% of poisonings that were attributed to appliances and other products.

Low levels of CO, such as those below 10%, are barely noticeable in your home. You won’t have symptoms, and you won’t be able to detect any scent in the air. However, just because you don’t feel sick does not mean that the CO is harmless. Hospital research has shown that extended exposure to continual low levels of carbon monoxide has been linked to brain damage.

The subjects showed symptoms such as changes in behavior and inability to remember short term thoughts. Unfortunately the study had no reference point for how long the subjects were exposed for brain damage to occur, as they were unaware of when they were first exposed to CO.

When you reach a CO level of above 10%, the person exposed will have flu-like symptoms tiredness, fatigue, difficulty breathing, headache and coughing. A good measure of whether or not it’s the flu is finding that your pet exhibits symptoms, as there is no way for your pet to get the flu. Any CO level above 20% is considered lethal, so it is imperative that you get your heating system checked on a regular basis.

There is real tragedy in hearing of a family dying due to Carbon Monoxide poisoning, if only for the simple fact that it is completely preventable. As the winter season sets in and we crank up our furnace, the reports of Carbon Monoxide poisonings begin to trickle in.

How do you know you are suffering from CO poisoning? Flu like symptoms mimic CO exposure, including nausea, headaches, dizziness, and being unable to properly breath. If you leave your home or get fresh air, your symptoms will disappear. A group or family within a home that share the same symptoms should immediately have their house checked for CO.

Bear in mind that infants, children, and the aged population have a lower tolerance for CO. Women who are pregnant should be on the lookout for symptoms as well, because the risk to their fetus from CO exposure is great.

Once you suspect that you have been exposed to CO, go outside and get fresh air immediately. Open all doors and windows in your home, turn off all appliances, and do not return to the building.

A hospital or medical clinic will help you assess your level of CO by confirming it with a blood test. Be sure to visit the hospital if you are concerned you have been exposed.

It’s a silent killer: Carbon Monoxide kills over 500 people each year across North America, and this number could be widely underestimated. Current research indicates that the number of deaths could be well over 2000.

It’s always a tragedy when a family is struck down by something that is preventable. There are many accounts in the news of individuals or entire families admitted to the hospital for Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning. Luckily, in almost 40,000 of these cases each year, they escaped with their lives.

Why does Carbon Monoxide strike some homes and not others?

One common cause is improper venting. As cited in a case that occurred in an Idaho apartment complex, a poorly vented water heater resulted in the leaking of CO throughout the building. Unlike gas, CO doesn’t smell and your body can absorb it more quickly than even that of oxygen. Headaches or nausea can indicate CO poisoning, but by the time you start showing symptoms you have already become exposed to and absorbed a massive amount of CO.

Preventing CO leaks is easy if you practice common sense. Hire a professional and get them to check your furnace and water heater for leaks. It’s best to perform these checks on an annual basis to ensure that you have a sound system.

Carbon Monoxide leaks are not commonplace, yet you should keep in mind that parts of your furnace can develop fine cracks over time. As well, the flue pipes that are responsible for emitting CO exhaust outside of your home can become corroded over time. Have a service professional check for these issues, and ask them to examine the flue pipes in case they have become disconnected.

Purchasing a CO detector can save your life.

A family in California recently had their air ducts cleaned out, and the company they hired did a poor job of reconnecting the flue to the furnace. The result was a deadly seepage of Carbon Monoxide. If they wouldn’t have had the alarm in place, the family surely would not have woke up in the morning. The elevation of CO in the home was 118 parts per million, which is 3 times greater than the 35 parts per million level that indicates to fire fighters that they need to wear a mask. Purchasing more than one Carbon Monoxide detector is vital, especially in a large home. Another preventive step is to only hire companies to service your furnace that is licensed to work on such an appliance. As this family discovered, a duct cleaning company is not knowledgeable enough to work on a furnace.

There are many companies who will try to get your business by advertising that they are able to perform jobs they are not skilled or licensed to do. Always be sure that a permit, especially something such as the installation of your heating system, is provided for major work. Contractors such as this can walk away with a slap on the wrist, but you could lose your life.

Backdrafting is the result of air that is exhausted from our homes through kitchen, dryer, or bathroom vents. Backdrafting occurs when the exhaust may depressurize within your home. When mixed with wind, the pressure differential can overwhelm your ventilation, reversing the flow of exhaust back into your home. The result of this situation? CO poisoning can make its way into your home. As homes have grown tighter and tighter in construction, the problem of backdrafting has become worse. The only prevention for this problem is a properly installed high efficiency furnace and water heater, that both feature powerful ventilation systems.

Unfortunately there are certain circumstances where CO poisoning is the consumer’s fault.

Leaving your car running in your garage is foolish and extremely dangerous, resulting in CO to leak into your home and sending many a person to the hospital. Burning a gas light stove or wood burning fire place inside your home can also generate CO. Generators should not be run within a home either. Your best protection is becoming educated about the dangers of Carbon Monoxide, getting some detectors for your home, and always replacing the batteries on a bi-yearly basis.

Vaporous apparitions, disembodies voices and sounds, and a general feeling of dread in certain areas of your home. These are the classic signs of a haunted house – or a carbon monoxide leak. Carbon monoxide poisoning can lead to all of the phenomenon that are commonly believed to be signs of a haunting. However, people become convinced that they are being visited by long dead relatives or the previous occupants of a home and it never occurs to them that what they are experiencing is often the sign that they have been inhaling a toxic and odorless gas called carbon monoxide.

So,if you believe your home is being invaded by visitors from the netherworld, you could be right. However, in the interest of safety, you should have your home checked out by a qualified plumber. They have the ability to do a carbon monoxide test your home for deadly carbon monoxide leaks and find the source. Calling a plumber can prevent you from becoming a ghost yourself.

Have you ever watched a movie about a haunted house and found the situation to be strangely familiar? If you’ve ever felt that your home has become the domain of something from the other side, you might want to call a plumber before consulting with your local exorcist. Inhalation of carbon monoxide has been linked to many of the phenomena that are typically attributed to ghostly activity, including hallucinations and feelings of dread, because it is odorless and people can’t detect it. And while ghosts can be scary and make you feel unwelcome in your own home, a carbon monoxide leak can be far more dangerous.

Now, I’m not saying that ghosts don’t exist. If you believe that your home is being shared with spirits from beyond, you could right. However, Ockham’s razor says that the simplest explanation is most likely the correct one. So, in the interest of health and safety, it’s a wise decision to cover all of your bases. If no carbon monoxide leak is detected, you may want to explore other avenues.