Articles from the Mpls. Star Tribune
Karen Youso ..... Last update: February 02, 2007 ? 5:31 PM
Super Sensitive C O Monitors are hard to get
By Karen Youso, Star Tribune
If you want a carbon monoxide monitor in your home, you might have
trouble finding one. Or, at least, getting one without a wait.
As frustrated searcher Bev Nordley wrote:
"The Lung Association is obviously overwhelmed with orders as they will
only take a reservation deposit at this time for delivery in 2-3 months.
Help!"
It may seem odd that she was looking to the American Lung Association
for carbon monoxide (CO) protection, but as was discussed in Tuesday's
column, people looking for the best in CO detection can't just run into
their local hardware or big-box store and get what they want.
Store shelves hold plenty of CO/ alarms/; but they come with a
disclaimer that the units won't necessarily protect the more vulnerable:
pregnant women, fetuses, children, elderly or those with heart and lung
issues.
To get that protection, you have to find the elusive CO /monitor/. They
are more sensitive and will notify occupants of low levels of CO,
providing better overall protection.
They're scarce because most manufacturers don't make them, at least not
since 1998. That's when Underwriter's Lab (UL) decided to turn CO
detectors (that prevent harm as well as death) into CO alarms (intended
to prevent death). Most manufacturers complied to get the coveted UL label.
The idea was to reduce costly emergency CO calls to gas utilities and
first responders. When the industry did that, however, it also put a
subset of the population, those most vulnerable to the effects of CO, at
some risk. Just how much risk is unclear. CO is a recognized toxin
affecting the heart and brain, yet UL's standard is weaker than many
U.S. and Canadian agency standards. What r! ankles m any experts the
most, however, is that the standard expressly prohibits the automatic
display of low-levels of CO (below 30 parts per million over eight
hours), which would protect as well as alert occupants of a developing
problem so steps can be taken to fix it.
Although some experts say changes to the UL standard are coming later
this year, don't wait to get CO protection into your home. A CO alarm is
better than nothing at all. It can save your life. Every residence
should have at least a CO alarm. If you want more than minimal
protection, consider beefing it up with a CO monitor, which can be
harder to locate and costlier than an alarm.
To find one, look for units without the word "alarm" in the name,
which
usually signifies minimal protection, and check the enclosed literature
for any disclaimers.
Some examples include:
Co-Expert Model 2004
The most sensitive CO monitor on the market, according to its maker,
this unit has a display window that will automatically show low-level CO
below 30 ppm, and will alert occupants sooner than other devices.
Because it exceeds UL standards, it does not carry the UL label. It
sells for $135 to $150 and is available at:
Bonfe's Plumbing and Heating, 505 Randolph Av., St. Paul, 55102. Call
612-332-6633.
?Hankey & Brown Inspections. Call 952-829-0044 www.hankeyandbrown.com
<http://www.hankeyandbrown.com/>. Click on "CO monitor" in
left-side menu.
?O'Connor's One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning, 1904 Vermillion St.,
Hastings, 55033. Call 651-437-4177.
?www.aeromedix.com <http://www.aeromedix.com/> Click on "co
monitors" in
left side menu.
?American Lung Association "Health House" Program, 1-800-586-4872,
www.healthhouse.org <http://www.healthhouse.org/>
------------------------------------------
FIXIT:Carbon monoxide safety devices vary
By Karen Youso, Star Tribune
Last update: January 29, 2007 ? 5:30 PM
QUESTIONS:
"How effective are carbon monoxide, [C O], alarms seen in stores
?"
"What should I look for when buying a C O alarm ?"
ANSWER: There are two types of devices. The terms "CO
alarm" and "CO
detector" (or CO monitor) are often used interchangeably, but the units
are quite different.
CO alarms are designed to sound an alarm when CO levels become
life-threatening. They do not provide information about chronic
low-level exposures, which are known to be harmful.
A CO detector or monitor, on the other hand, will provide information
about low levels, generally under 30 parts per million (ppm), and sound
an alarm at life-threatening levels. (There is no standard for safe
levels of CO in homes. The U.S. National Ambient Air Quality Standard
for outdoor air is 9 ppm over eight hours.) Health authorities caution
that long-term, low-level CO exposure should be avoided, especially by
pregnant women, children and those with heart and lung disease. A CO
detector/monitor also alerts occupants to a developing CO problem, so
they can take steps to prevent a crisis.
CO detectors/monitors can be difficult to find; most retailers stock
only CO alarms. That's because nine years ago Underwriters Lab (UL)
changed the standard, turning away from monitoring and toward the
less-sensitive alarm.
The change was spurred by a desire to reduce the number of nuisance
calls to utilities and first responders. Some health authorities argued
that the change would eliminate information about chronic low-level
exposure.
Another reason for the wide use of CO alarms is a new Minnesota law that
requires only minimum protection, installation of a CO alarm, in new
construction. (The law will extend to existing housing next year.) But
it doesn't preclude higher levels of protection.
When buying CO protection, remember that minimal protection is better
than none at all. Then consider who's in your home and how much
information you want. If your household contains pregnant women,
infants, children, senior citizens, people with heart or respiratory
problems, or if you want to be alerted to a developing CO problem,
invest in a CO detector/monitor.
Several sites on the Internet sell the monitors, including the American
Lung Association of Minnesota at www.healthhouse.org
<http://www.healthhouse.org/> (1-800-586-4872).
If minimal protection is what you want, then buy a CO alarm. Look for
one that meets the UL standard (usually indicated on the box), has a
long-term warranty and can be self-tested and reset.
A basic, off-the-shelf CO alarm costs $20 to $50. The Lung Association's
CO alarm sells for around $90 and its CO monitor, with a higher level of
protection, sells for around $130, plus shipping and handling.
Whether you buy an alarm or a detector/monitor, it's a good idea to
write the date on the device when you install it so you know to replace
it in five years (or when recommended by the manufacturer).
Remember these are back-up devices and should not be relied upon
exclusively. The first line of defense against CO is to make sure that
all fuel-burning appliances operate properly, including water heaters.
Have the heating system (including chimneys and flues) inspected each year.
-------------------------------------------------
Carbon monoxide home detectors: "Do they give false security ?"
Experts warn that some detectors won't recognize low levels of the
poisonous gas.
Darlene Prois and Donna Halvorsen, Star Tribune staff writers
Last update: December 10, 2006 ? 10:21 PM
Early one October morning, Judy Wagner felt herself passing out
in her kitchen, where she had gone for ice to relieve yet
another piercing headache. She woke up outside. Although she
didn't know how she got there, she knew what was wrong. She ran
into the house to get her sick husband and called for help.
It took mere minutes for a fire department technician to find the carbon
monoxide levels in the house at dangerous levels and climbing, even
though three new detectors the Wagners had installed had not sounded.
"We certainly feel fortunate," said Judy Wagner, who lives with
her
husband in Byron, Minn., west of Rochester.
Although carbon monoxide is the most common cause of death by poisoning
in the United States, most people exposed to the gas recover with
treatment, said Dr. Cheryl Adkinson of Hennepin County Medical Center.
*Common killer*
The death last week of a 17-year old North Branch boy, Andrew Carlson,
underscored the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning, which nationally
kills an average of 1,000 people each year. Most states have new laws
requiring the installation of carbon monoxide alarms. In Minnesota, the
poisoning death of 3-year-old Hannah Griggs of Oronoco several years ago
led to a law that will require alarms in new houses beginning Jan. 1.
But the Wagners warn that homeowners shouldn't depend on new laws or
even new alarms for protection. Chronic carbon monoxide poisoning was
diagnosed in Judy and her husband, Larry, retired professionals, more
than nine months after the first telltale symptoms appeared.
The couple began experiencing headaches shortly after moving into their
house in Olmsted County in January. After three months of worsening
symptoms, including fatigue and cognitive problems, doctors considered
the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning, but dismissed it after the
Wagners assured them that their detectors indicated no problems. The gas
company checked for gas leaks three times, but not for carbon monoxide.
It took the crisis in October to solve the mystery. The Wagners learned
that a malfunctioning oven igniter in the gas range was spewing carbon
monoxide. After being treated and released at a Rochester hospital, and
removing the stove, their health improved.
Adkinson said symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning -- nausea, headache,
dizziness and fatigue -- are general enough that the true source might
not be suspected. And some symptoms, such as impaired thinking and
coordination problems, could be confused with other substances, such as
alcohol. That was the case last week with Carlson's father, who police
at first took to jail, suspecting he was intoxicated.
Anything that burns a hydrocarbon gives off carbon monoxide.
"It could be the heating system and how it's ventilated," Adkinson
said.
"It could be another appliance that's gas-burning, like a water heater,
or it could be an attached garage with a running car or snowblower. If
it gives off carbon monoxide, and it's not ventilated to the outside,
the gas will collect and make people ill."
Exchanging the gas range for an electric one solved the Wagners'
problem, but they've yet to find an alarm they trust. After exchanging
their three defective units with three recommended new ones, they
discovered that they didn't work, either.
The couple has consulted with an attorney, but they're not relishing a
legal fight.
"All we really want is a reliable detector," Judy Wagner said.
While it's often difficult for homeowners to find the right detector,
Dan Bernardy, deputy Minnesota fire marshal, said alarms have improved
significantly since they were introduced a decade or more ago.
"Overall, they're good tools," he said. "They're very
effective."
But they need to be properly installed and kept charged if they are to
work, he said.
"You want them near your bedroom because it's when you're sleeping that
it's the most dangerous," said Bob Moffitt, spokesman for the American
Lung Association's Minnesota chapter. The Lung Association is selling a
detector on its www.healthhouse.org <http://www.healthhouse.org/>
website that is more expensive and more sophisticated than others.
"Not only will they detect the low levels, they will actually keep a
record of when the carbon monoxide level goes up and down over a period
of time," Moffitt said. "It uses a very sophisticated measuring
gauge."
One CO Expert-model detector, at $129, should suffice per home, Moffitt
said, while experts often recommend several of the conventional
detectors, which set off an alarm only when the CO gets to a certain level.
"You could be experiencing symptoms from long-term exposure to lower
levels, and your [conventional] monitors would never go off because [the
CO level] really has to spike before the alarm goes off," Moffitt said.
----------------------------------------------
It seems like we often hear about the
dangers of carbon monoxide after someone dies. In Minnesota for every person
who has died from carbon monoxide poisoning, 18 others have been be treated
at the hospital for carbon monoxide poisoning.
*Different Types Of Detectors*
There are two kinds of carbon monoxide
detectors.
A /carbon monoxide alarm/ warns you when CO
reaches dangerously high levels. An alarm is what Minnesota's new law
requires in new construction and next year will require in all homes. The
new UL standard adopted several years ago raised the level of carbon
monoxide at which an alarm must sound. This means the levels must reach a
more dangerous point before an alarm goes off. Right now that standard only
requires that alarms sound when levels reach 70 parts per million (ppm).
Carbon monoxide alarms tend to cost less,
typically between $10 and $50.
These are easy to find in your local
hardware or home improvement store.
A /carbon monoxide monitor/ detects low
levels of CO, often levels as low as five to 10 ppm. The alarms sound when
levels are as low as 25 ppm, which experts say can often be the first hint
of a problem. Carbon monoxide monitors are more sensitive. They often keep
daily tallies of the levels in your home so they can be more expensive, up
to $130. These can be tough to find. The American Lung Association of
Minnesota has a
*link* <http://www.healthhouse.org/consumer/COMonitor.asp>
set up where you can order these. A Minnesota *home inspector* <http://www.hankeyandbrown.com/>
also sells these carbon monoxide monitors.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
*New Alarms Don't Sound As Soon*
In 1998, the government adopted a *new
standard* <http://www.iccsafe.org/cs/cc/ctc/CO/CO_UL2034History.pdf>
for carbon monoxide alarms to help cut down on the number of false alarms.
In the past, alarms could be triggered when CO levels were as low as 30 ppm.
Not anymore. CO levels must be 30ppm for at
least 30 days to trigger an alarm.
So essentially, CO levels must be higher to
trigger a carbon monoxide alarm.
The new UL standard requires carbon monoxide
alarms to sound when CO levels reach 70 ppm within 60 to 240 minutes. It
must alarm when levels reach 150 ppm within 10 to 50 minutes. It must alarm
when levels reach 400 ppm within four to 15 minutes.
Many experts say the problem with this new
standard is that it can expose families to low levels of carbon monoxide
which can also prove harmful, as seen in North Branch this past December.
---------------------------------------------------------------
*Where To Place CO Detectors*
Experts recommend you have at least two
carbon monoxide detectors in your home. Place one 25 feet from your furnace
and within 10 feet of each sleeping area in your home.
Do not place CO detectors in garages, in
direct sunlight, or places where it can get humid. All of these conditions
can trigger false alarms or cause the sensor to become desensitized over
time. You also don't want to cover the CO alarm with curtains or other
furniture. Be sure they are also not in the direct path of heat vents or
ceiling fans because the air may prevent CO from reaching the CO sensors.
------------------------------------------------------------------
*How To Know If Your Alarm Works*
Each alarm has a button to test, but
pressing it only tells you that the alarm signal is working. It doesn't tell
you whether or not the alarm will sound in the presence of dangerous carbon
monoxide levels.
According to the experts there is no simple
way to test a UL- 2034 Listed CO
alarm to ensure it will sound when exposed to CO because that exposure would
have to be continued for a long period of time, or at extremely high levels
of C O for up to 15 minutes.
You should also look for alarms that signal
when they need to be replaced.
It will often say on the box: "End of
life notification." That means your alarm will trigger an additional
alert that tells you when it is time to replace it.
All carbon monoxide detectors need to be
replaced every three to five
years.
If the sensor
activity is not self-monitored it should be replaced every three years or
less depending on the manufacturer’s instructions.
-------------------------------------------------------------
*Signs That You May Have A Carbon Monoxide
Problem*
Here are some signs that you may have a
carbon monoxide problem in your home:
• Streaks of carbon or soot around the
service door of your fuel-burning appliances • The absence of a draft in
your chimney (indicating blockage) • Excessive rusting on flue pipes or
appliance jackets • Moisture collecting on windows and walls of furnace
rooms • Fallen soot from the fireplace • small amounts of water leaking
from the base of the chimney, vent or flue pipe • Damaged or discolored
bricks at the top of your chimney • Rust on the portion of the vent pipe
visible from outside your home
--------------------------------------------------
Feb 2, 2007 7:53 am US/Central
*Avoid Carbon Monoxide Detector Mistakes*
/(WCCO)/ In the past five years, 140 people
in Minnesota have died from carbon monoxide poisoning. More alarming than
that is the fact that
2,635 people had to be treated at the
hospital.
Carbon monoxide is the number one source of
accidental poisoning and we may be partly to blame. It turns out what you
thought you knew about protecting your family from this deadly gas may be
all wrong.
False alarms can cloud the best of
judgments. Just ask Melissa Grigg.
She tossed the carbon monoxide detector
she'd received as a gift, unaware of just how much that decision would cost
her.
"I will regret forever that I did throw
it away and I never replaced it," she said.
*The Night that Changed Everything*
Her story begins on a night nearly three
years ago. Everyone was in bed by 10:30. Hours later, Grigg tried to walk to
the bathroom, but fell and hit her head on the wall. Unable to wake her,
Grigg's husband, Jason, called for help.
"The paramedics were there, and I was
unconscious, Jason was delusional, he was not making any sense at all,"
Grigg said. "At the time they thought maybe drug overdose, or foul play
of some sort. They had no idea what was going on."
Then the rescue crews staring getting sick.
"And then they found Hannah,"
Grigg said.
The 3-year-old was gone, overcome by carbon
monoxide. A malfunctioning furnace forced the invisible gas to flood their
home, filling Hannah's room first. It was located directly above the
furnace.
"For anyone to suffer the loss of a
child, you cannot possibly know that feeling unless it has happened to
you," Grigg said.
*Low Levels a Problem Too*
Carbon monoxide killed 17-year-old Andrew
Carlson this December in North Branch, Minn. It unknowingly made others in
his family sick.
For every person who has died from carbon
monoxide poisoning in Minnesota, 18 more have gotten sick, including Jerold
Bretoi and five of his friends. They had no idea they were being poisoned at
their cabin last weekend.
"My headache was getting worse. It
actually started to throb," said Bretoi.
He was smart enough to connect his sudden
headache and flu-like symptoms with the deadly invisible gas.
"I never thought about carbon monoxide
until I turned on the light," he said. "All of the sudden like a
big light went off, a big sign went off.
Carbon monoxide! Get out!"
Bretoi said the cabin had carbon monoxide
alarms, but no one is sure how old they were, or what the carbon monoxide
levels were at the time. It's possible they were not high enough to trigger
the alarm.
Investigators do know a broken boiler caused
the gas to fill the home.
Bretoi's quick thinking saved everyone in
the house. Three of them ended up spending the night in the hospital, but
they completely recovered.
"I think there are many more thousands
of people that are exposed to low levels and have what I would call as
flu-like symptoms for long periods of time that go undetected," said
Steve Klossner, a carbon monoxide specialist with the American Lung
Association of Minnesota.
For years, we've been told about the
importance of having a carbon monoxide detector in our home. But the fact
is, we may not be buying the best devices or using them correctly.
