ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, December 19, 1995 TAG: 9512190080
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 3 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: PERSONAL HEALTH
SOURCE: JANE BRODY
If you have a holiday wish list or are still wondering what to get for those special people in your life, consider a carbon monoxide detector.
Or buy one for yourself. It could save your life and protect you from serious carbon monoxide poisoning.
If you are pregnant, it could make the difference between the birth of a live, healthy baby or one who is neurologically damaged or stillborn.
Each year, experts estimate, 1,500 Americans die from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning at home, in motor vehicles and even on cabin cruisers, and 10,000 suffer symptoms that prompt them to seek medical attention.
Perhaps, like many other people, you are tired of safety warnings, especially those requiring you to buy yet another gadget to sound an alarm of impending disaster. But it is not just manufacturers of carbon monoxide detectors that recommend their use. Every safety-related organization, from your local fire department to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, says that every dwelling should be equipped with these detectors.
It is hard to think of a more insidious commonplace poison than carbon monoxide. It cannot be seen, smelled or felt. When inhaled, carbon monoxide is easily absorbed into the blood and displaces oxygen by combining with the blood's oxygen-carrying molecule, hemoglobin, and hanging onto it 240 times as tightly as oxygen. The more carbon monoxide in the air you breathe, the less oxygen reaches your blood until eventually there is not enough oxygen to sustain heart and brain function.
If you are lucky, you will be awake enough to notice the early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning and respond to them by getting out of the contaminated environment and seeking medical attention. But many people are asleep when overcome by this gas (or fall asleep as a result of the poisoning) and never again wake up.
Know the early signs of trouble, and be sure to suggest the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning to medical personnel so that a blood test will be done. The early symptoms - headache, fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, dizziness and nausea - are often dismissed by lay people and doctors as ``a touch of the flu.'' But if exposure to the gas continues, the symptoms get worse and worse: vomiting, confusion, heart palpitations and finally coma and death. Those who survive can experience long-lasting neurological effects, including impaired memory and personality change.
Detecting carbon monoxide poisoning early is especially important for people highly susceptible to its severe consequences: pregnant women (a fetus can die even before the woman fully realizes something is wrong), children, the elderly and those with heart disease or other chronic illnesses.
The main cause of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning in homes is a defective or improperly installed household appliance that operates on combustible fuel like oil, gas, kerosene, coal or wood. When such fuel burns incompletely, carbon monoxide is generated instead of harmless carbon dioxide. Furnaces are the most common source of trouble.
In a multiple dwelling or attached house, the problem need not arise in your own home; carbon monoxide can seep in from a neighbor's malfunctioning appliance. Outdoors, carbon monoxide deaths commonly occur in a stopped motor vehicle when the occupants leave the engine running, perhaps to keep the car warm while taking a nap. Such deaths are notorious on lovers' lanes.
Furnaces should be inspected annually by a fuel company professional. Chimneys, venting systems and fireplaces also need an annual checkup for blockages, cracks or other sources of leaks. All appliances that burn fuel should have a properly installed venting system.
Never burn charcoal indoors or in a garage, even if you keep the door open. And never try to warm the house by turning on an oven that runs on natural gas or propane. While it is not necessary to let a fire in the fireplace or wood-burning stove burn down before going to bed (that is how some homes are heated), it is crucial to leave the flue open enough to allow gases to escape.
Motor vehicles should never be left running in an attached garage or while parked for a long time, even though current emissions control measures have significantly reduced the amount of carbon monoxide in the exhaust.
Consider the traditional advice to leave the window open a little when you sleep, even for a daytime nap. If you are cold, use an extra blanket.
Install a carbon monoxide detector with a warning alarm that meets the Underwriters Laboratories standard UL 2034. Sixteen companies produce detectors that meet this standard, including the well-known brands, First Alert and American Sensors. Detectors cost $50 to $100 and are sold at hardware, home centers and discount stores that sell home appliances. There are both plug-in and battery-powered models. The latter can be placed anywhere, even if there is no nearby outlet, and will work in the event of a power failure. The safety commission recommends installing at least one near sleeping areas, perhaps next to the smoke detector.
To learn more about carbon monoxide poisoning and detectors, these organizations can be helpful:
Consumer Product Safety Commission. Call (800) 638-2772, dial 1 when requested and then dial extension 168 to obtain a complete listing of detectors that meet the UL 2034 standard.
The American Lung Association through local chapters or the national office at (212) 315-6473.
The Carbon Monoxide Information Center, sponsored by First Alert, (312) 337-7773.
American Sensors Electronics Inc. ``healthy home'' hot line, (800) 387-4219. In conjunction with the American Lung Association, American Sensors has produced a pamphlet, ``Everything You Should Know About Carbon Monoxide.'' Jane Brody writes about health issues for The New York Times.
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