This information was copied from a commercial Carbon Monoxide
manual distributed with a home detector. (Dec. 2008)
.

Information About Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless and tasteless poison gas that can be fatal when inhaled. CO inhibits the blood's capacity to carry oxygen.

Periodically review this alarm manual and discuss your CO alarm emergency procedure with all the members of your family. Never ignore a CO alarm. A true alarm is an indication of potentially dangerous levels of CO. CO alarms are designed to alert you to the presence of CO before an emergency — before most people would experience symptoms of CO poisoning, giving you time to resolve the problem calmly.

Determine if anyone in the household is experiencing symptoms of CO poisoning. Many cases of reported CO poisoning indicate that while victims are aware they are not well, they become so disoriented they are unable to save themselves by either exiting the building or calling for assistance. Also, young children and household pets may be the first affected. You should take extra precautions to protect high-risk persons from CO exposure because they may experience ill effects from CO at levels that would not ordinarily affect a healthy adult.

Symptoms of CO Poisoning

The following common symptoms are related to CO poisoning and should be discussed with ALL members of the household.  

Mild Exposure:

Slight headache, nausea, vomiting, fatigue (often described as "flu-like" symptoms).

 Medium Exposure:

Severe throbbing headache, drowsiness, confusion, fast heart rate.

 Extreme Exposure:

Unconsciousness, convulsions, cardio-respiratory failure, death.  

If you experience even mild symptoms of CO poisoning, consult your doctor immediately!  

Possible Sources of Carbon Monoxide

Inside your home, appliances used for heating and cooking are the most likely sources of CO. Vehicles running in attached garages can also produce dangerous levels of CO.

CO can be produced when burning any fossil fuel, such as gasoline, 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:

•           Automobiles, furnaces, gas ranges/stoves, gas clothes dryers, water heaters, portable fuel burning space heaters and generators, fireplaces, wood-burning stoves and certain swimming pool heaters.

•           Blocked chimneys or flues, back drafts and changes in air pressure, corroded or disconnected vent pipes, loose or cracked furnace exchangers.

•           Vehicles and other combustion engines running in an open or closed garage, attached or near a home.

•           Burning charcoal or fuel in grills and hibachis in an enclosed area.

 Conditions That Can Produce Carbon Monoxide
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 resulting from the use of exhaust fans.

•           Simultaneous operation of several fuel-burning appliances competing for limited internal air.

•           Vent pipe connections vibrating loose from clothes dryers, furnaces, 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.

•           Vehicle idling in an open or closed garage, or near a home.

 More information About Carbon Monoxide  

To be safe, know the possible sources of CO in your home. Keep fuel-burning appliances and their chimneys and vents in good working condition. Learn the early symptoms of exposure, and if you suspect CO poisoning, move outside to fresh air and get emergency help. Your first line of defense is an annual inspection and regular maintenance of your appliances. Contact a licensed contractor or call your local utility company for assistance.

 Information About Carbon Monoxide Alarms –What They Can and Cannot Do:

CO alarms provide early warning of the presence of CO, usually before a healthy adult would experience symptoms. This early warning is possible, however, only if your CO alarm is located, installed and maintained as described in this guide.

Because carbon monoxide is a cumulative poison, long-term exposures to low levels may cause symptoms, as well as short-term exposures to high levels. This Garrison® unit has a time-weighted alarm – the higher the level of CO present, the sooner the alarm will be triggered.

This CO alarm can only warn you of the presence of CO. It does not prevent CO from occurring, nor can it solve an existing CO problem. If your unit has alarmed and you've provided ventilation by leaving your windows and doors open, the CO buildup may have dissipated by the time help responds. Although your problem may appear to be temporarily solved, it's crucial that the source of the CO is determined and that the appropriate repairs are made.

This CO alarm is designed to act as a monitor, it is not designed for use as a short-term testing device to perform a quick check for the presence of CO.

CO alarms have limitations. Like any other electronic device, CO alarms are not fool-proof. CO alarms have a limited operational life. You must test your CO alarm weekly, because it could fail to operate at any time.

If your CO alarm fails to test properly, or if its self-diagnostic test reveals a malfunction, immediately have the unit replaced. This alarm will not monitor CO levels while in an error condition.

CO alarms can only sense CO that reaches the unit's sensor. It's possible that CO may be present in other areas without reaching the alarm. The rate and ability that which CO reaches the alarm may be affected by:

•           Doors or other obstructions.

•           Fresh air from a vent, an open window or other source.

•           CO being present on one level of the home and not reach a CO z installed on a different level. (For example, CO in the basement m not reach an alarm on the second level, near the bedrooms).

For these reasons, we recommend you provide complete coverage L placing a CO alarm on every level of the home. Please carefully read information on properly installing this CO alarm.

CO alarms should not be used to detect the presence of natural gas (methane), propane, butane, or other combustible fuels.

Put at least one on every floor of your home. (Ed)