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 . 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 . Click on "co monitors" in left side menu.

?American Lung Association "Health House" Program, 1-800-586-4872,
 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 (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 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.