10 Sep 2013
Posted by Arwen Foley 
Carbon monoxide is often referred to as the ‘Silent Killer’. It’s odourless, colourless and also poisonous. The AA conducted a poll of over 7,600 people and despite 95% saying that they were aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning around 60% said they do not have an alarm.
When any fuel such as oil, wood, gas or coal is burnt, oxygen is added forming CO₂. Without proper ventilation during the combustion process, carbon monoxide (CO) can be produced. At home, one of the main causes of carbon monoxide poisoning is faulty, damaged or badly-maintained heating or cooking appliances. When carbon monoxide is inhaled, it combines with blood and prevents it from absorbing oxygen. At high levels, it doesn’t take long for unconsciousness or even death to occur.
The problem with the side-effects caused by carbon monoxide at lower levels is that they are very similar to cold or flu symptoms so they can often go unnoticed, for example headaches, weakness, lethargy and dizziness. However, other symptoms include nausea, diarrhoea, stomach pains and chest pains. A lot of these symptoms can also be explained away as common illnesses and may not be recognised as carbon monoxide poisoning immediately.
More and more homeowners are equipping their home with a carbon monoxide alarm but the problem is that there isn’t enough focus on maintaining the alarm. The manufacturer’s guidelines will tell you where to place the alarm and how often to test it, but as a rule of thumb they should be checked once a month. In The AA survey more than 15% of those who had a carbon monoxide alarm said that they hadn’t ever checked it or they couldn’t remember if they had. In fact only 42.5% said they had checked their alarm in the last month.
Prevention is always better than the cure so while carbon monoxide alarms can tell you if there is a problem, it’s no substitute for regular inspection and maintenance of appliances, chimneys, vents and flues.
A properly serviced boiler can be the difference between life and death. AA Home Rescue with boiler cover is just €16.99 a month. After you sign up, we’ll send one of our qualified engineers over to give your boiler a safety inspection. Once it passes the inspection The AA will give you a safety certificate which will cover you for the year and you will also be covered for an annual boiler service plus any repairs throughout the cover period, including parts and labour for up to €2000.
For more details on The AA Home Rescue click here.
