At what level does carbon monoxide become dangerous?

The Mrs.

After cooking on our new gas stove last night for approximately 30-45 minutes, my husband said that the carbon monoxide detector in our bedroom read a level of 15ppm. This is the highest we have seen it, generally speaking it doesn't go over 10ppm. At what point (in ppm) should we be concerned?

Answer
Any level of carbon monoxide is dangerous, it inhibits hemoglobin, myoglobin, and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase (which are all VERY important!).

But typically, a concentration of as little as 0.04% (400 parts per million) carbon monoxide in the air can be fatal.

Below is a chart to help elaborate on the toxicity levels of CO and its symptoms:
* 35 ppm (0.0035%) Headache and dizziness within six to eight hours of constant exposure
* 100 ppm (0.01%) Slight headache in two to three hours
* 200 ppm (0.02%) Slight headache within two to three hours
* 400 ppm (0.04%) Frontal headache within one to two hours
* 800 ppm (0.08%) Dizziness, nausea, and convulsions within 45 minutes. Insensible within two hours.
* 1,600 ppm (0.16%) Headache, dizziness, and nausea within 20 minutes. Death in less than two hours.
* 3,200 ppm (0.32%) Headache, dizziness and nausea in five to ten minutes. Death within 30 minutes.
* 6,400 ppm (0.64%) Headache and dizziness in one to two minutes. Death in less than 20 minutes.
* 12,800 ppm (1.28%) Unconsciousness after 2-3 breaths. Death in less than three minutes.

In addition, a recent report concludes that carbon monoxide exposure can lead to significant loss of lifespan after exposure due to damage to the heart muscle.

Carbon monoxide alarm went off?

Chris Marm

I have 2 carbon monoxide detectors. one behind my dryer and one upstairs by the bedrooms. one was beeping every 30 seconds which i believe means that there is a problem with the device, however i moved the one from upstairs into the spot where the alarming one was and when i press the test button a reading of 210 ppm comes up? what should i do?

Answer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_monoxide_poisoning

Readings above 100 ppm are dangerous.

I would turn down the heat (preferably off, if not too cold) and leave the house, and have a professional test it.

Assuming this is a standalone house, I assume that you have a gas furnace or water heater malfunctioning in your home.

I had first wondered if you had a malfunctioning unit - I had one once - but having your other monitor show that reading makes me want you to be safe.

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What are the physical effects of carbon monoxide poisoning before death?

carbon monoxide detector 30 ppm image

confused i

After the body was removed from the vehicle there was blood present in & on the side of the vehicle, and drops of blood on the ground. Why would blood be present from carbon monoxide poisoning? Also, by running a hose from the tailpipe through the window of the vehicle and sealing the window, how long would it take for death?
Would the person be able to turn the key off but not able to open the door? The vehicle was turned off but the doors were locked when the person was found. Could they have decided not to go thru with it, had the mobility to turn off the car and not had enough mobility to open the door?
This was an apparent suicide but there wasn't a note found and I have alot of questions. The presence of blood, the key turned off, the doors locked?......all of these things really puzzle me.

Answer
CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING

THE FACTS

As colorless as the air, this sudden killer is responsible for 700 fatalities a year in the United States. Carbon Monoxide (CO) is not to be confused with Carbon Dioxide (CO2), which is responsible for the bubbles in your gingerale. CO is a product of inefficiently burnt fuels that are created by an appliance or heating unit in the home. One in five deaths by CO poisoning can be attributed to a malfunctioning appliance, either due to poor maintenance or a design fault. Carbon Monoxide is the inevitable by-product of the burning of all carbon based fuels, and the less of it that is in the air, the better.

CO is deadly because it is not detectable to the five human senses. To confuse matters more, symptoms of CO poisoning mimic common every day ailments such as migraine headaches or the flu. This insidious threat to home safety is responsible for 113,333 emergency situations in the U.S. every year. There are two basic types of carbon monoxide poisoning, ACUTE and CHRONIC.

SYMPTOMS AND DIAGNOSIS

ACUTE CO poisoning is rarely detected until its victims become quite ill. In this kind of scenario, a heating unit or appliance breaks down and emits lethal levels of gas in a short time. The severity of the symptoms varies depending on the concentration of the gas in the air. The chart below gives you an idea of when to suspect that CO is the culprit behind your discomfort.

The numbers below represent the concentration or amount of CO that is in the air as per parts per million (ppm) followed by its physical effects:

* At 35 ppm - No adverse effects until after about 8 hours of exposure
* At 200 ppm - Mild headache after 2-3 hours of exposure
* At 800 ppm - Headache, nausea and dizziness at 45 minutes. Physical collapse at 2 hours.
* At 1000 ppm - Loss of consciousness at 1 hour.
* At 3200 ppm - Dizziness and nausea at10 minutes. Loss of consciousness occurs at 30 minutes.
* 12,800 ppm - Collapse, loss of consciousness and death after 1-3 minutes of exposure.

CHRONIC CO poisoning can be difficult to diagnose as the symptoms of long-term exposure mimic common disorder such as the flu. Long-term exposure to smaller amounts of CO has been associated with diabetes and brain damage. There is a middle range of slightly higher exposure over a shorter period of time. In this scenario, a gas heater breaks down and an entire family can suffer nausea and dizziness over a period of two weeks indicating that it might be from CO leak.

Persistent symptoms of CO poisoning include

* Fatigue
* Dizziness
* Nausea
* Vomiting
* Confusion
* Convulsions
* Respiratory problems
* Rapid breathing
* Persistent cough
* Concentration problems
* Hallucinations
* Panic attacks
* Clumsiness
* Severe muscle pains
* Trembling
* Vision problems


CAN IT BE PREVENTED?

CO takes its victims by surprise so poisoning is as hard to predict as any act of fate. However, there are measures you can take to immediately allay the severity of the situation.


* First and foremost, outfit your home and garage with a CO detector. Human beings are unable to smell CO so these devices act as a second nose. These devices resemble a fire alarm and sound off at the first subtle whiff of gas.
* Have a qualified professional regularly check your heating systems, chimneys, furnaces, stoves and cookers for flaws, leaks, efficiency and structural weaknesses.
* Be mindful and observant. For example, if you suspect your furnace is not working, don't use it until it is fixed.
* Be a savvy consumer. Before purchasing a major appliance, check with the manufacturer or a consumer safety groups to see if the brand has a good reputation.

PREPARATION

Carbon monoxide poisoning is accidental, and you should prepare for it just as you would any other catastrophe that might strike without warning. As is the case with fires, it is a good idea to make sure that all doors windows and exits are kept free of obstacles. Keeping a window open, while using appliances such as tabletop gas cookers is also a good idea.

WHAT TO DO IF THE UNFORTUNATE OCCURS

If at any time you feel you have been exposed to dangerous carbon monoxide fumes you should remove yourself from the area immediately and seek medical assistance. In this case, it is also advisable to open doors and break windows to let fresh air in and speed evacuation.

Emergency treatment for acute CO poisoning almost always includes keeping the victim warm as well as dosing them with supplemental oxygen via a mask.

How does a Carbon monoxide alarm work?

raver82

I never heard of a Carbon monoxide alarm before until my sister came home with one yesterday. I was just wondering how it works? if Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless and whatever else how can you get it in a house what does it come from? I'm clueless about it. I spent most of science class in school asleep.

Answer
Hello raver82:

CO is deadlier than natural gas; because it is odorless/colorless, people don't realize that it is present. It will cause death with as little as 30ppm within 30 minutes. CO is extremely hazardous to infants, the elderly and people with breathing disorders or who have difficulty breathing.

The detectors must be powered at all times in order to work properly. The mechanism is able to capture the CO molecules and if a high concentration (over 15 ppm) are detected, it will sound an alarm.

Symptoms of CO poisoning are grogginess, headache, fatigue, sleepiness, irritation of the nasal passages and lungs, and sometimes vomiting or diarrhea. Some complain of experiencing the same effects of alcohol.

A CO detector is as important as the smoke detector. CO is a result of inefficient combustion of hydrocarbons; the largest source in a home is the family car(or truck). If you have a natural gas appliance (furnace, water heater or stove), it is a wise investment to have the CO detector. After the car, the other main source of CO is the gas stove. If you have a gas stove, it is critical that you have an exhaust hood or vent for the stove that exits outside the home.

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Is it normal for a carbon monoxide detector to read 0 ppm?

carbon monoxide detector 30 ppm image

dfjkdfj

Sorry for posting a second time, but the first question did not get any good answers. Is it normal for a carbon monoxide detector to read 0 PPM? I have one that shows the highest level over the past 24 hours, and whenever I check it always reads 0 PPM. Is this normal? I would think there might be one or two PPM in the house, considering the lowest level it would bother sensitive people is 30 PPM.

Answer
Actually in the 0 to 29 ppm level CO detectors are not allowed to display the actual CO level, and are required to display zero in that range according to CO alarm standards developed by Underwriters Laboratories (UL2034) in collaboration with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. (The display and alarm specifications of UL2034 are matched in a Canadian standard, CSA 6.19-01)

At what level does carbon monoxide become dangerous?

The Mrs.

After cooking on our new gas stove last night for approximately 30-45 minutes, my husband said that the carbon monoxide detector in our bedroom read a level of 15ppm. This is the highest we have seen it, generally speaking it doesn't go over 10ppm. At what point (in ppm) should we be concerned?

Answer
Any level of carbon monoxide is dangerous, it inhibits hemoglobin, myoglobin, and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase (which are all VERY important!).

But typically, a concentration of as little as 0.04% (400 parts per million) carbon monoxide in the air can be fatal.

Below is a chart to help elaborate on the toxicity levels of CO and its symptoms:
* 35 ppm (0.0035%) Headache and dizziness within six to eight hours of constant exposure
* 100 ppm (0.01%) Slight headache in two to three hours
* 200 ppm (0.02%) Slight headache within two to three hours
* 400 ppm (0.04%) Frontal headache within one to two hours
* 800 ppm (0.08%) Dizziness, nausea, and convulsions within 45 minutes. Insensible within two hours.
* 1,600 ppm (0.16%) Headache, dizziness, and nausea within 20 minutes. Death in less than two hours.
* 3,200 ppm (0.32%) Headache, dizziness and nausea in five to ten minutes. Death within 30 minutes.
* 6,400 ppm (0.64%) Headache and dizziness in one to two minutes. Death in less than 20 minutes.
* 12,800 ppm (1.28%) Unconsciousness after 2-3 breaths. Death in less than three minutes.

In addition, a recent report concludes that carbon monoxide exposure can lead to significant loss of lifespan after exposure due to damage to the heart muscle.

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Carbon monoxide alarm went off?

carbon monoxide detector 30 ppm image

Chris Marm

I have 2 carbon monoxide detectors. one behind my dryer and one upstairs by the bedrooms. one was beeping every 30 seconds which i believe means that there is a problem with the device, however i moved the one from upstairs into the spot where the alarming one was and when i press the test button a reading of 210 ppm comes up? what should i do?

Answer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_monoxide_poisoning

Readings above 100 ppm are dangerous.

I would turn down the heat (preferably off, if not too cold) and leave the house, and have a professional test it.

Assuming this is a standalone house, I assume that you have a gas furnace or water heater malfunctioning in your home.

I had first wondered if you had a malfunctioning unit - I had one once - but having your other monitor show that reading makes me want you to be safe.

Carbon Monoxide - Possible Sources?

Melissa

We live in the middle of a block of rowhomes in Baltimore City. For the second time in a month, the CO alarms have gone off at the houses on either side of us. This time, I was the only one of all of us who was awake. I had used hot water for a shower and washed a few dishes about an hour before. Firefighters checked our three homes, as well as the two other houses adjoining my neighbors. Readings were 30 ppm in one of the alarm houses and 90 in the other; zero in my home and the two other neighbors. When the firefighter turned on the hot water and held the meter next to my water heater for ten minutes, the highest reading he got was 8 ppm. We immediately replaced our CO alarm with a detector with a constant display, which is still showing 0 ppm after two hours in the room with the furnace (not running) and the water heater. The alley behind our homes is too narrow for a car or truck. We are at a loss for the source. Any ideas?
We have a Weber kettle grill and a Weber smoker, which we haven't used yet this year because we are having a particularly rainy summer. The alarm houses have gas grills, but this was 4.30 in the morning. Even if they both happened to have faulty tanks, they would have had to have been lit sometime around the time of the alarm, right? The 30 ppm house was gutted and rebuilt last year. The contractors were questionable, but the HVAC sub-contractors are reputable, as far as we know.

Answer
CO comes only from incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons (including charcoal), and not from any other sources. It is also lighter than air, and so may build up well away from where it is generated.

As you are in a row-house - if you share a chimney with a neighbor, and their flue is partially or entirely blocked, that CO may penetrate into your flue/house from next door. It is also possible that you may even share a flue, although that is unlikely.

Other sources might include a charcoal-fired grille near an open window or intake fan that might draw CO into the house. A partially blocked flue - or one that is blocked intermittently by a nest, or a loose brick or something similar such that the CO builds up at odd times.

I suggest that you check all your flues - all of them - and make sure that they are clear, free of any obstructions and draw properly. I suggest that while you are at it, you check any flues on your common walls and any that may vent near any of your windows at any level. You should also (if at all possible), see if your neighbors might be operating a charcoal device such as even a small hibachi inside their house - or may be using some other device such as a still, retort or other equipment that uses a fairly large flame, but may be in an area with restricted air intake.

NOTE ALSO: if you have your water heater in a tight basement, closet or other area without free access to outside (fresh) air in quantity, it might operate perfectly normally with the fire department standing around (all the doors open), but when you close the doors and restrict air-flow to it, start to produce CO in quantity.

You have done the right thing with the detector. Good luck with it in general!

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How does a Carbon monoxide alarm work?

carbon monoxide detector 30 ppm image

raver82

I never heard of a Carbon monoxide alarm before until my sister came home with one yesterday. I was just wondering how it works? if Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless and whatever else how can you get it in a house what does it come from? I'm clueless about it. I spent most of science class in school asleep.

Answer
Hello raver82:

CO is deadlier than natural gas; because it is odorless/colorless, people don't realize that it is present. It will cause death with as little as 30ppm within 30 minutes. CO is extremely hazardous to infants, the elderly and people with breathing disorders or who have difficulty breathing.

The detectors must be powered at all times in order to work properly. The mechanism is able to capture the CO molecules and if a high concentration (over 15 ppm) are detected, it will sound an alarm.

Symptoms of CO poisoning are grogginess, headache, fatigue, sleepiness, irritation of the nasal passages and lungs, and sometimes vomiting or diarrhea. Some complain of experiencing the same effects of alcohol.

A CO detector is as important as the smoke detector. CO is a result of inefficient combustion of hydrocarbons; the largest source in a home is the family car(or truck). If you have a natural gas appliance (furnace, water heater or stove), it is a wise investment to have the CO detector. After the car, the other main source of CO is the gas stove. If you have a gas stove, it is critical that you have an exhaust hood or vent for the stove that exits outside the home.

how to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning from home heater?

Jessica

what should i check and how do i make the home heater is ok.

Answer
If the dwelling as adequate ventilation, and the heater is functioning as new (no yellow impingement flame) and you are not feeling any nausea, tiredness or drowsy then most likely you haven't a worry in the world.

One thing you may not realize, is if you smoke there is more CO in the dwelling and your bloodstream than any heater would throw out. There is also more likelihood the gas water heater would be more dangerous than it is.
3 ppm is common where an upper limit may be considered at 10 ppm where smokers puff away. 30 is dangerous.

Purchase a CO detector, mount it at or near floor level and relax.

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