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Village
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708.452.7300 |
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Police
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708.453.2137 |
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Police
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911 |
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Fire
Department
708.453.2124 |
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Fire
Emergency
911
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Fire
Department Scanner
154.370 Mhz
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Carbon monoxide (CO) is an
odorless, colorless, deadly gas. It can kill you before you know it
because you can't see it, taste it or smell it. At lower
levels of exposure, it can cause health problems. Some people
may be more vulnerable to CO poisoning such as fetuses, infants,
children, senior citizens and those with heart or lung problems.
When CO is breathed in by an individual, it accumulates in the blood
and forms a toxic compound known as carboxyhemoglobin (COHb).
Hemoglobin carries oxygen in the bloodstream to cells and tissues.
Carbon monoxide attaches itself to hemoglobin and displaces the
oxygen that the body organs need.
Carboxyhemoglobin can cause headaches, fatigue, nausea, dizzy
spells, confusion and irritability. Later stages of CO
poisoning can cause vomiting, loss of consciousness and eventually
brain damage or death.
Carbon monoxide is a by-product of combustion of fossil fuels.
Fumes from automobiles contain high levels of CO. Appliances
such as furnaces, space heaters, clothes dryers, ranges, ovens,
water heaters, charcoal grills, fireplaces and wood burning stoves
produce CO. Carbon monoxide usually is vented to the outside
if appliances function correctly and the home is vented properly.
Problems occur when furnace heat exchanger crack or vents and
chimneys become blocked. Insulation sometimes can trap CO in the
home.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends installing at
least one carbon monoxide detector with an audible alarm near the
bedrooms. If a home has more than one story, a detector should
be placed on each story.
Be sure the detector has a testing laboratory label.
The following is a checklist for where to look for problem
sources of CO in the home:
1. A forced air furnace is frequently the source of leaks and
should be carefully inspected.
 | Measure the concentration of carbon monoxide in the flue
gases. |
| Check furnace connections to flue pipes and venting systems to
the outside of the home for signs of corrosion, rust gaps,
holes. |
| Check furnace filters and filtering systems for dirt and
blockage. |
| Check forced air fans for proper installation and to assure
correct air flow of flue gases. Improper furnace blower
installation can result in carbon monoxide buildup because toxic
gas is blown into rather than out of the house. |
| Check the combustion chamber and internal heat exchanger for
cracks, holes, metal fatigue or corrosion. Be sure they are
clean and free of debris. |
| Check burners and ignition system. A flame that is
mostly yellow in color in natural gas fired furnaces is often a
sign that the fuel is not burning completely and higher levels
of carbon monoxide are being released. Oil furnaces with
similar problems can give off an oily odor. Remember you
can't smell carbon monoxide. |
2. Check all venting systems to the outside including flues and
chimneys for cracks, corrosion, holes, debris, blockages.
Animals and birds can build nests in chimneys preventing gases from
escaping
3. Check all other appliances in the home that use flammable
fuels such as natural gas, oil, propane, wood or kerosene.
Appliances include water heaters, clothes dryers, kitchen ranges,
ovens or cooktops, woodburning stoves, gas refrigerators
| Pilot tights can be a source of carbon monoxide because the
by-products of combustion are released inside the home rather
than vented outside. |
| Be sure space heaters are vented properly. Unvented
space heaters that use a flammable fuel such as kerosene can
release carbon monoxide into the home. |
| Barbecue grills should never be operated indoors under any
circumstances nor should stovetops or ovens that operate on
flammable fuels be used to heat a residence. |
| Check fireplaces for closed, blocked or bent flues, soot and
debris. |
| Check the clothes dryer vent opening outside the house for
lint |
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11 Conti Parkway * Elmwood Park, Illinois 60707
Telephone 708.452.7300 * Fax 708.452.3957
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Copyright © 1998 - 2003 Village of Elmwood Park
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