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Carbon Monoxide Protection
 

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A-1 Quick Service is now offering to our customers Carbon Monoxide Detectors which are very important for health safety.

Everyone should have one on each level of their house for their protection and safety.

They have a five year limited warranty and we are running a fall special right now to purchase one for $98.95 normally $116.95.

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Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Early symptoms of CO poisoning, such as headaches, nausea, and fatigue, are often mistaken for the 'flu because the deadly gas goes undetected in a home. Prolonged exposure can lead to brain damage and even death.

Take Corrective Action - These are the basic steps. 
Evacuate > Ventilate > Investigate

• Move the affected person to fresh air.  Administer oxygen if available.
• Contact medical help. 
• If the person is not breathing, perform artificial respiration as taught in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Training until medical help arrives. 
• Ventilate the area.  
• Investigate the source of Carbon Monoxide and make repairs. Seek advice if needed.

What is Carbon Monoxide?
Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, toxic gas that has the molecular formula CO. The molecule consists of a carbon atom that is triply bonded to an oxygen atom.

Carbon Monoxide is produced by the incomplete combustion of the fossil fuels - gas, oil, coal and wood used in boilers, engines, oil burners, gas fires, water heaters, solid fuel appliances and open fires.

Carbon Monoxide is a commercially important chemical. It is also formed in many chemical reactions and in the thermal or incomplete decomposition of many organic materials.

Dangerous amounts of CO can accumulate when, as a result of poor installation, poor maintenance or failure or damage to an appliance in service, the fuel is not burned properly, or when rooms are poorly ventilated and the Carbon Monoxide is unable to escape.

Having no smell, taste or color, in today's world of improved insulation and double glazing, it has become increasingly important to have good ventilation, maintain all appliances regularly and to have absolutely reliable Detector alarms installed giving both a visual and audible warning immediately there is a build-up of CO to dangerous levels.

NO SMELL and NO TASTE and NO COLOUR
And, it is for these reasons that CO Detectors are the only way to alert you to increasingly dangerous levels of CO before tragedy strikes.

What are the effects of Carbon Monoxide?
Carbon Monoxide produces the following physiological effects on people exposed to the concentrations shown:

Carbon Monoxide poisons by entering the lungs via the normal breathing mechanism and displacing oxygen from the bloodstream. Interruption of the normal supply of oxygen puts at risk the functions of the heart, brain and other vital functions of the body.

The above information is for a healthy adult. Persons suffering from heart or respiratory health problems, infants and small children, unborn children, expectant mothers and pets can be affected by CO poisoning more quickly than others in the household and may be the first to show symptoms.

Ideally, natural gas burns in an appliance completely and efficiently, mixing with the oxygen in the air to produce harmless carbon dioxide (CO2) and water vapor.

But if conditions aren't right, the natural gas won't combust completely, giving off deadly fumes of carbon monoxide (CO).

The dangers of carbon monoxide.

When humans breathe in carbon monoxide, it enters the bloodstream and depletes oxygen from the blood cells.

Exposure is harmful at high levels over a short period of time, or at lower levels over a longer period - overnight, for example. Carbon monoxide can be especially dangerous during the winter, when our homes are sealed up tight.

Symptoms mimic the flu

The early effects of CO poisoning mimic the flu, so watch for these
warning signs:

1. Headache
2. Nausea or vomiting
3. Dizziness and disorientation
4. Muscle weakness or fatigue

If the flu-like symptoms are NOT accompanied by fever, if everyone in the family is ill, or if the symptoms disappear when you leave the house, you may have a CO problem - have your gas appliances checked by a service technician right away.

It's important to catch CO problems in the early stages. If exposure continues, the poisoning reaches the central nervous system, resulting in memory loss, slurred speech, loss of consciousness and eventually death.

Carbon monoxide concentrations and symptoms.
Carbon monoxide poisonings are often detected by family or friends telephoning a disoriented victim; if you notice any of these symptoms in someone you know, call 911.

Preventing carbon monoxide

Prevention is the only way to deal with carbon monoxide, and the best prevention is regular inspection by a service technician.

1. An appliance could produce carbon monoxide if:
2. Boxes, laundry or other materials are blocking the base, restricting oxygen flow.
3. The vent hood, pipes or flues are blocked or corroded.
4. The unit is installed or adjusted improperly.
5. It's used incorrectly (i.e., heating a room with a gas stove).
6. The heat exchanger is cracked.

Natural gas furnaces should be inspected every year; other appliances, such as water heaters, clothes dryers and stoves, should be checked every two years. If you have a natural gas fireplace, it should be serviced regularly as well.

Carbon monoxide detectors

If you have natural gas appliances, a carbon monoxide detector is a must for keeping your family safe.

These devices work like smoke detectors, sounding an audible alarm if a certain level of carbon monoxide (CO) is detected.

The best CO detectors are electronic alarms that notify you if the level of CO is your home reaches 50 parts per million. A digital model will have a display panel showing the exact levels detected.

You can choose from alarms that are battery-powered, hard-wired or plug into an outlet. Keep these tips in mind:

For battery-powered models, change the batteries a minimum of every six months. An easy way to remember is whenever you change your clocks for Daylight Savings Time.

For hard-wired or plug-in models, remember that these won't work during a power outage. If a storm knocks out your power for an extended period, make sure to reset the detector when service is restored.

A CO detector should be installed near living and sleeping areas of your home. Placing it in the basement near the furnace could produce false reading and make it difficult to hear the alarm.

Carbon monoxide concentrations and symptoms

• 35 parts per million (ppm) = No adverse effects within eight hours
• 200 ppm = Mild headache after two to three hours of exposure
• 400 ppm = Headache and nausea after one to two hours
• 800 ppm = Headache, nausea and dizziness after 45 minutes; collapse after two hours
• 1000 ppm = Loss of consciousness after one hour
• 1600 ppm = Headache, nausea and dizziness after 20 minutes; unconsciousness after 30 minutes
• 3200 ppm = Headache, nausea and dizziness after 5-10 minutes; unconsciousness after 30 minutes
• 12,800 = Immediate physiological effects; unconsciousness and danger of death after only one to three minutes.

Eric Greensmith, MD, knows that fall is a dangerous time of the year in Iowa. Whenever the first hint of winter's chill is in the air, the hazards of carbon monoxide exposure increase significantly.

Carbon monoxide cases are the most common form of accidental poisoning in the United States, accounting for approximately 40,000 emergency department visits and about 800 deaths each year. Carbon monoxide injuries and deaths occur when levels of the tasteless, odorless and colorless gas build up in poorly ventilated spaces where a carbon-based fuel is burned.

Greensmith, an associate professor in the University of Iowa Department of Anesthesia, says carbon monoxide poisoning cases often peak when Iowans begin to heat their homes.

"Having your furnace checked by a professional is a key step in preventing carbon monoxide poisoning," Greensmith said. "We also need to keep educating the public about the safe operation of all appliances, heaters, fireplaces and internal-combustion engines, which are all potential sources of carbon monoxide."

The use of carbon monoxide detectors and alarms is also essential in protecting the public from carbon monoxide poisoning. The devices measure the level of carbon monoxide in the home or workplace and alert the occupants if the levels begin to approach harmful levels.

When carbon monoxide poisoning does occur, the symptoms are often vague, but can include headache, dizziness and confusion. Carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin in the blood and interferes with the delivery of oxygen to the tissues. Specialists have recently begun using a treatment called hyperbaric-oxygen therapy to treat patients acutely affected by carbon monoxide poisoning.

Greensmith serves as director of Hyperbaric Medicine at UI Hospitals and Clinics.
"Hyperbaric-oxygen therapy is very effective at literally flushing carbon monoxide from the body," he said. "Not only does the technique help more patients survive, it also reduces the potential long-term effects of carbon monoxide poisoning, such as possible loss of intellect or memory."

Hyperbaric-oxygen therapy involves placing patients in a special chamber and having them breathe pure oxygen under high pressure. This procedure helps force the oxygen into the tissues of the body. The technique is also used to promote wound healing and to treat a condition commonly referred to as "the bends," which can affect deep-sea divers.