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14. General Carbon Monoxide (CO) Information
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless poison gas that can be fatal when inhaled. CO inhib-
its the blood's capacity to carry oxygen.
Possible Sources of CO
Inside your home, appliances used for heating and cooking are the most likely sources of CO. Vehicles and other
combustion engines running in an attached garage and using a charcoal/gas grill or hibachi in an enclosed area
are all possible sources of CO. CO can be produced when burning any fossil fuel: gasoline, diesel, propane, natural
gas, oil and wood. It can be produced by any fuel-burning appliance that is malfunctioning, improperly installed,
or not ventilated correctly, such as: Furnaces/boilers, gas ranges/stoves, gas clothes dryers, water heaters, por-
table fuel burning space heaters, fireplaces, wood-burning stoves and certain swimming pool heaters. Blocked
chimneys or flues, back drafting and changes in air pressure, corroded or disconnected vent pipes, or a loose or
cracked furnace heat exchanger can also release CO into your building.
The following conditions can result in transient CO situations:
Excessive spillage or reverse venting of fuel-burning appliances caused by outdoor ambient conditions such as:
Wind direction and/or velocity, including high gusts of wind, heavy air in the vent pipes (cold/humid air with
extended periods between cycles), negative pressure differential resulting from the use of exhaust fans, simul-
taneous operation of several fuel-burning appliances competing for limited internal air, vent pipe connections
vibrating loose from clothes dryers, furnaces/boilers, or water heaters, obstructions in, or unconventional, vent
pipe designs which can amplify the above
situations, extended operation of unvented fuel-burning devices
(range, oven, fireplace, etc.), temperature inversions which can trap exhaust gases near the ground, car idling in
an open or closed attached garage, or near a home.
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