It is that time of year again. And…there is a new twist; a new contributor to carbon monoxide poisoning that may be showing up in new homes more often than one might think.
I recently inspected a brand new home that had the heating and air conditioning system configured so that there is a ‘fresh-air’ intake that draws ‘fresh’ outside air on a regular and timed basis. This is a common feature in newer, energy efficient homes.
Another feature commonly seen in newer homes are gas-fired fireplaces that exhaust thru a flue that terminates on an exterior wall.
This is where it gets interesting…
Fireplaces are Carbon Monoxide generators. When the exhaust from a fireplace is located on an exterior wall there no room for error.
The new home that I recently inspected had the fresh air intake for the heating and air conditioning system located above and adjacent to the fireplace flue/exhaust.
Simply put, the Carbon Monoxide generated by the fireplace can and will be drawn into the fresh air intake duct for the heating and air conditioning system. This can result in varying levels of Carbon Monoxide poisoning.
There are other conditions that we are discovering can occur with fireplaces.
If the flue terminates below a 2nd floor window or below soffit venting, Carbon Monoxide can enter the structure.
If gas-fired heaters are not isolated from conventional fireplaces, the fireplace can ‘draw’ so strongly as to cause a backdraft from the heater/heating unit. This allows carbon monoxide to be pulled down the heater flue, across the house, and into the fireplace.
Our homes are often our refuge from the daily grind of life and a place to enjoy time with the family and pets.
Carbon Monoxide can transform a home into deathtrap. This odorless, colorless, and silent killer is all too common in homes.
Most of us associate the substance known as carbon monoxide with death. This is a valid association.
There are multiple additional sources of carbon monoxide in the average home.
If your house has ANY of these conditions, you are at risk of being poisoned by exposure to carbon monoxide;
An attached garage (motor vehicles are carbon monoxide generators)
Wood burning and/or gas-burning fireplaces
Gas cooktops and gas ovens
Gas-fired heating units. This can include ‘space’ heaters, unvented wall heaters, vented wall heaters, central heating units.
Any appliance that ‘burns’ or operates via combustion of fossil fuels.
There is particular focus on the dangers of carbon monoxide when the weather turns cold. However, carbon monoxide produced by motor vehicles, gas cooktops, gas ovens or any gas appliance can wreak havoc and kill at ANY TIME.
If you wake up in the morning and have an unusual or unexplained headache, you may be being exposed to carbon monoxide.
If you find yourself or other family members being irritable or getting headaches after extended periods in your home, you may be being exposed to carbon monoxide.
If you wake up to a dead pet or come home from work or school and find your indoor pet has died, there may be elevated levels of carbon monoxide in your home.
Carbon Monoxide Detectors have become so available, affordable, and simple to install, that it is inexcusable to risk your life or the lives of your family members by not having multiple Carbon Monoxide Detectors in your home.
Our families and our pets rely on us to make responsible decisions.
What are you going to do?
