Don't let carbon monoxide kill you

part 3 - Choosing and using a detector

part 1 - What are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning and how can it be treated
part 2 - How to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning

Detectors as early warning devices
     1 Choosing a detector
     2 Positioning the detector
     3 Testing the detector
     4 Believing what the detector says
Useful telephone numbers
Further information

Carbon monoxide is an odourless colourless tasteless gas that can kill people or just leave them very ill, sometimes for a long time. It is created when something containing carbon is burnt and there is not enough oxygen to create the rather less dangerous carbon dioxide. Just about any fuel contains carbon including gas from the mains or cylinders and any fuel derived from oil including petrol, diesel, engine oil. Even wood and charcoal contain carbon. We have all heard that gas appliances can cause problems but often forget that other fossil fuels can do as well.

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Detectors as early warning devices

It is possible to get carbon monoxide detectors. These are not a substitute for taking sensible precautions to avoid problems. They do however detect problems and save lives.

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1 Choosing a detector

There are two varieties, one is simply a card and the other looks more like a smoke alarm. The card is so simple and cheap that some organisations give them to students in rented accommodation and other high risk groups. The idea is that you watch for the colour to change on the card. These are better than nothing, although they are not as reliable as the more expensive kind.

The other kind can be purchased from a DIY store for about £30. This device makes a noise when it detects a problem. Some models have a sensor to detect the carbon monoxide which is covered to start with but when this is removed it starts to deteriorate and it needs replacing on a regular basis. It is advisable that they conform with the relevant British Standard i.e. BS7860 which can be seen by the presence of the BSI kitemark. Alarms which reach this standard also must have a built in fault and test function.

Like any other safety device it is useful to do some research beforehand to see what varieties are available and what reputable organisations recommend and why. It is possible to buy ones which are battery operated and ones which are run off the mains. Not being able to remove the batteries can be a distinct advantage in some circumstances but it means it cannot be used if there is a power cut and this can be a time when it is even more important to check for problems with carbon monoxide. A battery operated alarm can be installed without the services of an electrician.

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2 Positioning the detector

• Carbon monoxide spreads itself evenly and fairly quickly throughout the house.
• A detector installed outside the bedrooms gives the occupants a chance to wake up and leave the house in case of problems. One of the leaflets distributed by the government expresses the risk of dying in your sleep from carbon monoxide very clearly.
• Older people tend to stay in one room because it is easier to keep one room warm and anyway they cannot move around as well as they once could. There should be a detector in this room.
• Other good places include rooms where there are appliances that might cause problems although not within 10 feet of such appliances.
• They should be placed on or near the ceiling.
• There is no point in putting detectors in dead air spaces, crawl spaces, room corners, peaks of vaulted ceilings or behind curtains where carbon monoxide might not reach
• Avoid places where the air is fast moving, such as near a ceiling fan or a fresh air vent because that could mask carbon monoxide build up.
• Household chemicals could possible cause false alarms so these should be stored well away from carbon monoxide detectors.

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3 Testing the detector

Whatever device you use it needs to be checked regularly to see if either it has changed colour or if its sensor needs changing. One of the problems is that carbon monoxide detectors are harder to test than smoke alarms however, it is still important to test them following the manufacturer's instructions, in other words don't lose the instruction booklet. This is a booklet that needs to be kept in a safe place. If the detector is battery operated then the battery needs changing at least once a year. A carbon monoxide detector should be tested every week. Battery operated detectors should give a warning when the batteries are low but they should be replaced every year anyway. If you use a plug in model, do not switch it off on the wall.

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4 Believing what the detector says

If a detector does find a problem they have to be believed. It is easy to ignore the warning given because often it is the only sign that there is a problem. If a carbon monoxide detector does give a warning then it is essential to run some checks rather than just saying that it is false reading because there is no other sign of any problems. If it is not possible to run the checks immediately, turn off all potential sources of creating carbon monoxide until you can find a qualified and experienced professional to check for problems. In the meantime make sure the premises are vented to give any carbon monoxide present a way out and if anyone who is experiencing any symptoms receives medical help.

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Useful telephone numbers

Don't forget that Environmental Health Department of your local council will also be able to offer guidance.

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Further information

Health and Safety Executive This link will take you to the page where the information on tenants and landlords came from. When I printed this page out it came to about 20 pages but right at the very end there is a sample letter that could be sent to a landlord to ask him to see the safety check record.

DTI Safety Booklets This link will take you to a page where you can download pdf versions of booklets on various aspects of home safety that have been published by the Department of Trade and Industry. These include three booklets that concentrate on the dangers of carbon monoxide, namely Danger! Fires Need Air, Killed in Her Bed and Carbon Monoxide Kills.

Carbon Monoxide: the forgotten killer This is a letter sent out from the department of health to general practitioners (and others) in September 1998. It includes a summary of how to diagnose and treat carbon monoxide poisoning.

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part 1 - What are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning and how can it be treated
part 2 - How to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning