Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, poisonous gas that forms from incomplete combustion of fuels, such as natural or liquefied petroleum gas, oil, wood or coal.

Facts and Figures

• More than 50 people die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning in Canada, including 11 on average in Ontario.
• Most of the deaths associated with CO occur in sleep.
• Hundreds of Canadians are hospitalized every year from carbon monoxide poisoning, many of whom are permanently disabled.  Everyone is at Risk – 88% of all homes have something that poses a carbon monoxide threat.
• Bill 77, an Act to Proclaim Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week and to amend the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997, received royal assent in December 2013.
• The first Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week took place November 1-8, 2014.
• The Ontario Building Code requires the installation of carbon monoxide alarms in homes and other residential buildings built after 2001.

Physiology of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

When CO is inhaled, it displaces the oxygen that would ordinarily bind with hemoglobin, a process the effectively suffocates the body. CO can poison slowly over a period of several hours, even in low concentrations. Sensitive organs, such as the brain, heart and lungs, suffer the most from a lack of oxygen.

High concentrations of carbon monoxide can kill in less than five minutes. At low concentrations, it will require a longer period of time to affect the body. Exceeding the EPA concentration of 9 parts per million (ppm) for more than eight hours may have adverse health affects. The limit of CO exposure for healthy workers, as prescribed by the U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration, is 50 ppm.

Potential Sources of Carbon Monoxide

Any fuel-burning appliances which are malfunctioning or improperly installed can be a source of CO, such as:

• furnaces;
• stoves and ovens;
• water heaters;
• dryers;
• room and space heaters;
• fireplaces and wood stoves;
• charcoal grills;
• automobiles;
• clogged chimneys or flues;
• space heaters;
• power tools that run on fuel;
• gas and charcoal grills;
• certain types of swimming pool heaters; and
• boat engines.

CO amount and related health effects

CO Detector Placement
CO detectors can monitor exposure levels, but do not place them:

• directly above or beside fuel-burning appliances, as appliances may emit a small amount of carbon monoxide upon start-up;
• within 15 feet of heating and cooking appliances, or in or near very humid areas, such as bathrooms;
• within 5 feet of kitchen stoves and ovens, or near areas locations where household chemicals and bleach are stored (store such chemicals away from bathrooms and kitchens, whenever possible);
• in garages, kitchens, furnace rooms (enclosed), or in any extremely dusty, dirty, humid, or greasy areas;
• in direct sunlight, or in areas subjected to temperature extremes. These include unconditioned crawlspaces, unfinished attics, un-insulated or poorly insulated ceilings, and porches;
• in turbulent air near ceiling fans, heat vents, air conditioners, fresh-air returns, or open windows. Blowing air may prevent carbon monoxide from reaching the CO sensors.

Do place CO detectors:

• within 10 feet of each bedroom door and near all sleeping areas, where it can wake sleepers. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Underwriters Laboratories (UL) recommend that every home have at least one carbon monoxide detector for each floor of the home, and within hearing range of each sleeping area;
• on every floor of your home, including the basement (source:  International Association of Fire Chiefs/IAFC);
• near or over any attached garage. Carbon monoxide detectors are affected by excessive humidity and by close proximity to gas stoves (source:  City of New York);
• near, but not directly above, combustion appliances, such as furnaces, water heaters, and fireplaces, and in the garage (source:  UL); and
• on the ceiling in the same room as permanently installed fuel-burning appliances, and centrally located on every habitable level, and in every HVAC zone of the building (source:  National Fire Protection Association 720). This rule applies to commercial buildings.

Ontario is taking another step to keep families and homes in Ontario safe by making carbon monoxide alarms mandatory in all residential homes.
The new regulation, which comes into effect October 15, 2014, updates Ontario’s Fire Code following the passage of Bill 77 last year. These updates are based on recommendations from a Technical Advisory Committee which was led by the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management and included experts from fire services, the hotel and rental housing industries, condo owners and alarm manufacturers.
Carbon monoxide alarm will now be required near all sleeping areas in residential homes and in the service rooms, and adjacent sleeping areas in multi-residential units. Carbon monoxide alarms can be hardwired, battery-operated or plugged into the wall.

Broadly speaking, these amendments will have the following effect:

• Testing and maintenance requirements that apply to smoke alarm now apply to CO alarms
• Under the Fire Code amendments, CO alarms will be required in existing residential occupancies, where:
• Single dwelling homes (e.g., privately owned homes) have an attached storage garage and/or a fuel burning appliance.
• CO alarms will be required only near sleeping areas of these occupancies and not throughout the entire home.
• Multi-unit buildings (e.g., apartment buildings or condominium buildings, hotels, etc.) have an attached storage garage and/or a fuel burning appliance/service room. Within these buildings, CO alarms will only be required:

Near sleeping areas of suites that contain a fuel burning appliance within the suite.

Near sleeping areas of suites that are adjacent to a storage garage and/or service room with a fuel burning appliance.

See more at: Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs website

How can I prevent CO poisoning?

• Regularly maintained appliances that are properly ventilated should not produce hazardous levels of carbon monoxide
• Have a qualified service professional inspect your fuel burning appliance(s) at least once per year.
• Have you chimney inspected and cleaned every year by a W.E.T.T. certified professional.
• Be sure your carbon monoxide alarm has been certified to the Canadian Standard Association (CSA) CAN/CGA 6.19 standard or the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 2034 standard.
• Install a carbon monoxide alarm in or near the sleeping area(s) of the home.
• Install the carbon monoxide alarms(s) in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Never service fuel-burning appliances without the proper knowledge, skill and tools. Always refer to the owner’s manual when performing minor adjustments and when servicing fuel-burning equipment.
• Never operate a portable generator or any other gasoline engine-powered tool either in or near an enclosed space, such as a garage, house or other building. Even with open doors and windows, these spaces can trap CO and allow it to quickly build to lethal levels.
• Never use portable fuel-burning camping equipment inside a home, garage, vehicle or tent unless it is specifically designed for use in an enclosed space and provides instructions for safe use in an enclosed area.
• Never burn charcoal inside a home, garage, vehicle or tent.
• Never leave a car running in an attached garage, even with the garage door open.
• Never use gas appliances, such as ranges, ovens or clothes dryers to heat your home.
• Never operate un-vented fuel-burning appliances in any room where people are sleeping.
• During home renovations, ensure that appliance vents and chimneys are not blocked by tarps or debris. Make sure appliances are in proper working order when renovations are complete.
• Do not place generators in the garage or close to the home. People lose power in their homes and get so excited about using their gas-powered generator that they don’t pay attention to where it is placed. The owner’s manual should explain how far the generator should be from the home.
• Check vents. Regularly inspect your home’s external vents to ensure they are not obscured by debris, dirt or snow.

In summary, carbon monoxide is a dangerous poison that can be created by various household appliances. CO detectors must be placed strategically throughout the home or business in order to alert occupants of high levels of the gas.