Carbon monoxide safety for Bridgeport homes in heating season

Where carbon monoxide comes from

Carbon monoxide is produced whenever fuel burns without enough air, or when exhaust that should leave the house does not. In a home, the usual sources are gas and oil furnaces, boilers, water heaters, stoves and fireplaces. Properly working, properly vented equipment sends its exhaust outside. Problems start when something interrupts that path.

The heating faults that cause it

A cracked heat exchanger in a furnace can let combustion gases into the air that circulates through the house. A blocked or disconnected flue pipe, a chimney clogged by debris or a collapsed liner, or a sidewall vent buried in snow can all push exhaust back inside. Backdrafting happens when a chimney cannot pull exhaust up, often because the house is under negative pressure from exhaust fans, or because a water heater was left alone in a chimney sized for a much larger appliance.

Poorly adjusted burners make it worse, because they produce more carbon monoxide to begin with. That is one reason a combustion test is part of every annual tune-up.

Where to put alarms

Install carbon monoxide alarms on every level of the home, including the basement, and outside each sleeping area so they can be heard at night. Follow the manufacturer's placement instructions, which usually keep alarms away from the appliance itself and from bathrooms and kitchens where steam and cooking can cause false alarms. Combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are fine as long as they are placed correctly for both.

Test and replace them

Press the test button monthly and replace batteries on the schedule the manufacturer recommends. Many people tie it to the clock change in spring and fall. Carbon monoxide alarms also wear out; most have a replacement date printed on the back and will chirp at the end of their life. An alarm past its date is not protecting anyone.

Symptoms to take seriously

Carbon monoxide has no smell or color. Exposure can cause headache, dizziness, nausea, tiredness and confusion, often mistaken for the flu. A clue is when several people in the house feel unwell at the same time, or when symptoms ease after leaving the house. If you suspect exposure, get everyone into fresh air and seek medical help.