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POTENTIAL SOURCES OF CO IN THE HOME
Fuel-burning appliances
like: portable heater,
gas or wood burning
fireplace, gas kitchen
range or cooktop, gas
clothes dryer.
Damaged or insuf
ficient
venting:
corroded or
disconnected water
heater vent pipe, leaking
chimney pipe or flue, or
cracked heat exchanger
,
blocked or clogged
chimney opening.
Improper use of appliance/device: operating a barbecue grill or
vehicle in an enclosed ar
ea (like a garage or scr
eened por
ch).
Transient CO Problems: “transient” or on-again-off-again CO problems
can be caused by outdoor conditions and other special cir
cumstances.
The following conditions can result in transient CO situations:
1. Excessive spillage or reverse venting of fuel appliances caused by
outdoor conditions such as:
• Wind direction and/or velocity, including high, gusty winds. Heavy
air in the vent pipes (cold/humid air with extended periods
between cycles).
•
Negative pressure differential resulting from the use of exhaust
fans.
• Several appliances running at the same time competing for limited
fr
esh air
.
• Vent pipe connections vibrating loose from clothes dryers,
fur
naces, or water heaters.
• Obstructions in or unconventional vent pipe designs which can
amplify the above situations.
2.
Extended operation of unvented fuel bur
ning devices (range, oven,
fireplace).
3. Temperature inversions, which can trap exhaust close to the ground.
4. Car idling in an open or closed attached garage, or near a home.
These conditions are dangerous because they can trap exhaust in your
home. Since these conditions can come and go, they are also hard to
r
ecr
eate during a CO investigation.
HOW CAN I PROTECT MY F
AMILY FROM CO
POISONING?
A CO Alarm is an excellent means of pr
otection. It monitors the air
and sounds a loud alarm before Carbon Monoxide levels become
thr
eatening for average, healthy adults.
A CO Alar
m is not a substitute for proper maintenance of home
appliances.
T
o help prevent CO problems and reduce the risk of CO poisoning:
•
Clean chimneys and flues yearly. Keep them free of debris, leaves,
and nests for proper air flow. Also, have a professional check for
rust and corr
osion, cracks, or separations. These conditions can
pr
event proper air movement and cause backdrafting. Never “cap”
or cover a chimney in any way that would block air flow.
•
Test and maintain all fuel-burning equipment annually. Many local
gas or oil companies and HVAC companies offer appliance
inspections for a nominal fee.
•
Make regular visual inspections of all fuel-burning appliances.
Check appliances for excessive rust and scaling. Also check the
flame on the burner and pilot lights. The flame should be blue.
A yellow flame means fuel is not being bur
ned completely and
CO may be present. Keep the blower door on the furnace closed.
Use vents or fans when they are available on all fuel-burning
appliances. Make sur
e appliances are vented to the outside. Do
not grill or barbecue indoors, or in garages or on screen porches.
• Check for exhaust backflow from CO sources. Check the draft
hood on an operating fur
nace for a backdraft. Look for cracks on
furnace heat exchangers.
• Check the house or garage on the other side of shared wall.
•
Keep windows and doors open slightly. If you suspect that CO
is escaping into your home, open a window or a door
. Opening
windows and doors can significantly decrease CO levels.
In addition, familiarize yourself with all enclosed materials. Read
this manual in its entirety, and make sure you understand what to
do if your CO Alar
m sounds.
REGULATORY INFORMATION FOR
SMOKE/CO ALARMS
REGULATORY
INFORMATION FOR CO ALARMS
WHAT LEVELS OF CO CAUSE AN ALARM?
Underwriters Laboratories Inc. Standard UL2034 requires residential CO
Alarms to sound when exposed to levels of CO and exposure times as
described below. They are measured in parts per million (ppm) of CO
over time (in minutes).
UL2034 Required Alarm Points*:
• If the alarm is exposed to 400 ppm of CO, IT MUST ALARM
BETWEEN 4 and 15 MINUTES.
• If the alarm is exposed to 150 ppm of CO, IT MUST ALARM
BETWEEN 10 and 50 MINUTES.
• If the alarm is exposed to 70 ppm if CO, IT MUST ALARM
BETWEEN 60 and 240 MINUTES.
* Approximately 10% COHb exposure at levels of 10% to 95% Relative
Humidity (RH).
The unit is designed not to alarm when exposed to a constant level
of 30 ppm for 30 days.
CO Alarms are designed to alarm before there is an immediate life threat.
Since you cannot see or smell CO, never assume it’
s not pr
esent.
• An exposure to 100 ppm of CO for 20 minutes may not affect
average, healthy adults, but after 4 hours the same level may
cause headaches.
• An exposure to 400 ppm of CO may cause headaches in average,
healthy adults after 35 minutes, but can cause death after 2 hours.
Standar
ds:
Underwriters Laboratories Inc. Single and Multiple Station
carbon monoxide alarms UL2034.
According to Underwriters Laboratories Inc. UL2034, Section 1-1.2:
“Carbon monoxide alarms covered by these requirements are intended
to respond to the presence of carbon monoxide from sources such as,
but not limited to, exhaust fr
om inter
nal-combustion engines, abnormal
operation of fuel-fired appliances, and fireplaces. CO Alarms are
intended to alarm at carbon monoxide levels below those that could
cause a loss of ability to react to the dangers of Carbon Monoxide
exposur
e.” This CO Alarm monitors the air at the Alarm, and is
designed to alarm befor
e CO levels become life thr
eatening. This
allows you precious time to leave the house and correct the problem.
This is only possible if Alarms are located, installed, and maintained as
described in this manual.
Gas Detection at T
ypical T
emperatur
e and Humidity Ranges:
The CO
Alarm is not formulated to detect CO levels below 30 ppm typically
.
Audible Alar
m:
85dB minimum at 10 feet (3 meters).
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CO
WHAT IS CO?
CO is an invisible, odorless, tasteless gas pr
oduced when fossil fuels
do not burn completely, or are exposed to heat (usually fire). Electrical
appliances typically do not pr
oduce CO.
These fuels include: W
ood, coal, charcoal, oil, natural gas, gasoline,
kerosene, and propane.
Common appliances are often sources of CO. If they are not properly
maintained, ar
e improperly ventilated, or malfunction, CO levels can rise
quickly
. CO is a real danger now that homes are more energy efficient.
“Air-tight” homes with added insulation, sealed windows, and other
weatherpr
oofing can “trap” CO inside.
SYMPTOMS OF CO POISONING
These symptoms ar
e related to CO POISONING and should be
discussed with ALL household members.
Mild Exposure: Slight headache, nausea, vomiting, fatigue (“flu-like”
symptoms).
Medium Exposur
e:
Thr
obbing headache, drowsiness, confusion, fast
heart rate.
Extreme Exposure: Convulsions, unconsciousness, heart and lung
failur
e. Exposure to Carbon Monoxide can cause brain damage, death.
This CO Alarm measures exposure to CO over time. It alarms if CO
levels are extremely high in a short period of time, or if CO levels reach
a certain minimum over a long period of time. The CO Alarm generally
sounds an alarm before the onset of symptoms in average, healthy
adults.
Why is this important? Because you need to be war
ned of a potential
CO pr
oblem while you can still react in time. In many reported cases of
CO exposure, victims may be aware that they are not feeling well, but
become disoriented and can no longer r
eact well enough to exit the
building or get help. Also, young childr
en and pets may be the first
af
fected. The average healthy adult might not feel any symptoms when
the CO Alarm sounds. However, people with cardiac or respiratory
problems, infants, unbor
n babies, pregnant mothers, or elderly people
can be mor
e quickly and severely affected by CO. If you experience
even mild symptoms of CO poisoning, consult your doctor immediately!
FINDING THE SOURCE OF CO AFTER AN ALARM
Carbon monoxide is an odorless, invisible gas, which often makes it
difficult to locate the source of CO after an alarm. These are a few of
the factors that can make it difficult to locate sources of CO:
• House well ventilated before the investigator arrives.
• Problem caused by “backdrafting.”
• Transient CO problem caused by special circumstances.
Because CO may dissipate by the time an investigator arrives, it may
be difficult to locate the source of CO.
BRK Brands, Inc. shall not be
obligated to pay for any carbon monoxide investigation or service
call.