Why are they important ?
By Vishal Aksaj Rajan Thirupathirajan 7S
ou may not realise it , but carbon monoxide alarms are just as important as smoke alarms . Carbon monoxide is a silent killer . It is a colourless , tasteless , odourless and poisonous gas . It will come and go and you won ' t have a chance to run away . Carbon monoxide alarms , however , will make sure you are alerted to any danger of being poisoned by carbon monoxide , allowing you to run to safety .
Carbon monoxide can leak from unsafe gas appliances , indoor heating or cooling systems and even from your car ' s exhaust pipe . In fact , it comes from any incomplete burning of fuel . If there isn ' t enough ventilation or your chimneys and vents are blocked , this gas can build up to dangerous levels . Carbon monoxide poisoning happens when carbon monoxide mixes with haemoglobin in your blood instead of oxygen . This then decreases the amount of oxygen that is carried to vital organs such as the brain and the heart , meaning you could die from the lack of oxygen supply or recieve brain damage .
The main symptoms to look out for are : headaches , dizziness , breathlessness and unconsciousness . Since these symptoms are similar to Flu and food poisoning people usually ignore them . So , other signs that could point towards carbon monoxide poisoning are when the symptoms only occur when at home or if others in your house experience the same symptoms .
If you experience any symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning , open doors and windows to get fresh air immediately . Turn off gas appliances and leave the house . Then see your doctor or go to the hospital . They can do a blood or breath test to check for carbon monoxide poisoning . If you think there is immediate danger , call the Gas Emergency Helpline . Never just assume that your gas appliances are safe . Get a Gas Safe registered gas engineer to do a check .
Your home could also show signs of a carbon monoxide leak : the flame on your cooker should be crisp and blue but if it is yellow or orange you need to get your cooker checked . There could be dark stains on appliances or pilot lights could often blow out . The condensation inside windows increase .
Getting a carbon monoxide detector is very easy . They are sold in many shops and are easy to get hold of . They are also available online . These detectors only cost around £ 20 and can save your life . So thinking about it , it ' s pretty good value for money .
Before buying a carbon monoxide alarm , always make sure it is marked EN 50291 and has the British Standards or European approval organisation ' s mark on it . Follow the instructions given when installing , testing and replacing alarms . When sleeping , carbon monoxide poisoning is a big risk , as you may not be aware of the symptoms until it ’ s too late . I recommend not using the ‘ black spot ’ detectors that change colour when carbon monoxide is present , since they will not wake you up .
5