Carbon Monoxide

CO is produced when gas is burned without a sufficient amount of oxygen present. This state of affairs can be induced by an incorrectly installed, or poorly maintained, gas burning appliance.

Carbon Monoxide can cause death and serious health problems such as brain damage, depending on the level of exposure.

14 people have died and over 230 have been made critically ill in the past year due to exposure to carbon monoxide.

If your home features gas appliances of any sort, it is highly advisable to fit some kind of carbon monoxide alarm system.

A carbon monoxide alarm is just like a smoke alarm, only it alerts you to the presence of the invisible, odourless, and deadly gas that is carbon monoxide, also known as CO.

Make sure that you buy an audible carbon monoxide alarm, of the type that adheres to the British Standard EN 50291, for every room in your home that has a gas appliance.

It should also be marked by a national or European approval mark, such as a Kitemark, if you are to be sure of its safety and reliability.

Carbon monoxide alarms usually have a battery life of up to 5 years, although it is wise to test the unit at least once a month to check that it is still working.

If a room has a boiler, oven, or other gas-burning appliance in it, it should also have a carbon monoxide alarm.

A wrongly installed device can lead to a potentially dangerous false sense of security, so make sure that you follow the instructions that come with your alarm to the letter.

Although they are a good deal cheaper, avoid the use of ‘black spot' detectors that change colour when carbon monoxide is present in the air, as they do not make a sound.

Above all else, it is important that you are alerted as soon as CO levels start to become dangerous, and this may occur while you are sleeping, when you are unlikely to be woken by the changing of colour of a piece of cardboard.

CO alarms can be bought from DIY centres and hardware stores for around £20 each, and can usually be found amongst the home security products.

If you are not sure of which alarm to buy or how to fit it, ask a Gas Safe registered engineer, who will be able to advise you.

Installing a carbon monoxide alarm is no substitute for making sure that your gas appliances are installed correctly and serviced regularly by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

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