Carbon Monoxide, the "Silent Killer"

Invest in a Carbon Monoxide Detector!

A recent post about space heaters mentioned one risk associated with using space heaters is carbon monoxide poisoning. After doing more research about the topic I decided to share what I've learned in hopes that the information can help you protect your most valuable assets; your life and the lives of your loved ones!

What is carbon monoxide?

Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas that is difficult to detect as it is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and initially non-irritating. It’s commonly referred to as the “silent killer” because it’s virtually undetectable without the use of technology and the symptoms are commonly mistaken for influenza.

What is carbon monoxide poisoning?

Two factors that determine how dangerous carbon monoxide is to humans are the amount of CO present and the length of the exposure. Large concentrations of carbon monoxide will affect you faster but smaller concentrations can have the same harmful effects over longer periods of time.

Breathing in carbon monoxide displaces the oxygen in your blood which deprives your vital organs (heart, brain, etc.) of oxygen. Luckily these issues can be reversed if caught in time but even if you do recover it may result in permanent damage to parts of your body that require lots of oxygen to function. Carbon monoxide poisoning also poses a special risk to fetuses and can result in significant reproductive risk.

Some signs of carbon monoxide poisoning:

How to protect yourself:

A CO detector will put your mind at ease by alerting you if that headache is natural or has a deadly cause. You can purchase a carbon monoxide detector at most hardware stores such as Home Depot and Lowe’s. You can also buy them online from a variety of websites.

Carbon monoxide detectors come in a variety of forms. They are designed to measure carbon monoxide levels over a series of time and sound an alarm before dangerous levels accumulate, which gives you time to evacuate or safely ventilate the area. Some detectors plug into standard electrical outlets and others are sold as a dual smoke/CO detector. Do your research to make sure you get the best product to suit your needs.

*This is just some general information I've compiled about carbon monoxide poisoning. View this OSHA Fact Sheet for more details about who it affects, occupations that are more at risk for exposure, how employers can prevent exposure, and more.