Because carbon monoxide (CO) is completely invisible and odorless, the only reliable way to detect it is by installing specialized alarms.
It is also a good idea to know the signs of a potential CO problem:
Install battery-powered carbon monoxide detectors throughout your home. While not as powerful as professional equipment, they can help alert you to dangerous levels of gas in your home. When purchasing gas-powered appliances, look for certifications from national testing agencies such as Underwriters' Laboratories.
To clear carbon monoxide (CO) from your house, get everyone to fresh air immediately and call 911. Only ventilate the home if no one is experiencing symptoms. Never re-enter the house until emergency services declare it safe.
The greatest sources of CO to outdoor air are cars, trucks and other vehicles or machinery that burn fossil fuels. A variety of items in your home such as unvented kerosene and gas space heaters, leaking chimneys and furnaces, and gas stoves also release CO and can affect air quality indoors.
Carbon monoxide (CO) builds up anywhere fuel-burning appliances are poorly ventilated, malfunctioning, or used improperly in enclosed spaces. Common buildup areas include basements, utility closets, and attached garages, where leaks from these sources spread into living spaces.
Mild carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning symptoms often mimic the flu but do not cause a fever. The most common warning signs include:
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas that can cause sudden illness and death. The timeframe for how quickly it affects a person depends largely on the concentration of the gas in the environment and the duration of exposure.
Your body naturally removes excess carbon dioxide (CO2cap C cap O sub 2𝐶𝑂2) by converting it to waste gas and exhaling it through your lungs. If you are experiencing dangerous levels of excess CO2cap C cap O sub 2𝐶𝑂2 (hypercapnia) due to medical conditions, you require professional medical treatments like oxygen therapy, CPAP/BiPAP machines, or mechanical ventilation.
The emergency room (ER) treats carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning by aggressively flushing the toxic gas out of your blood and supporting vital organs. They provide the following immediate interventions:
Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Low levels of CO poisoning can be confused with flu symptoms, food poisoning or other illnesses and can have a long-term health risk if left uncorrected.
No, standard smartphones do not have built-in hardware to detect carbon monoxide (CO). Because CO is an invisible, odorless gas, you cannot use your phone's camera, microphone, or processor to sense it.
Yes, the fire department can check for carbon monoxide.
Risk factors for carbon monoxide poisoning include the use of fuel-burning appliances in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces, occupational exposures, and increased incidence during colder months due to indoor heating.
General signs of poisoning include severe vomiting or diarrhea, difficulty breathing, sudden confusion or extreme drowsiness, stomach cramps or pain, and burns or redness around the mouth. The exact symptoms depend on the type of poison, the amount, and the method of exposure.
Because carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, tasteless, and odorless gas, it is impossible to detect with human senses. The only reliable way to know if it is in your air is by using a certified Carbon Monoxide Detector.
Hypercapnia (excess carbon dioxide in the blood) feels like an intense, suffocating state of distress. It triggers your brain's primal panic response, causing rapid, labored breathing, severe headaches, and flushing. As levels rise, it progresses into dizziness, profound exhaustion, mental confusion, and paranoia.
Carbon dioxide (CO2cap C cap O sub 2𝐶𝑂2) is a metabolic waste product carried by the bloodstream to the lungs. Once there, it undergoes gas exchange in the alveoli (tiny air sacs) and is expelled from the body through exhalation.
The link between CO₂ and sleep quality
Several studies show that even moderate increases in CO₂ can impair how well we sleep: At 1,900–3,000 ppm, sleep quality drops significantly, with longer time to fall asleep and less deep, restorative sleep.
Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is notoriously difficult to spot because the gas is completely invisible and odorless. Symptoms closely resemble the flu (without the fever) or food poisoning.
The OSHA personal exposure limit (PEL) for CO is 50 parts per million (ppm). OSHA standards prohibit worker exposure to more than 50 parts of CO gas per million parts of air averaged during an 8-hour time period. The 8-hour PEL for CO in maritime operations is also 50 ppm.
Carbon monoxide is dangerous because a person may not recognize drowsiness as a symptom of poisoning. Consequently, someone with mild poisoning can go to sleep and continue to breathe the carbon monoxide until severe poisoning or death occurs.
Most CO exposures happen in the winter in cold climates. The very common source of CO poisoning is unvented space heaters in the home. An unvented space heater uses combustible fuel and indoor air for the heating process. It vents the gases it makes into the room, instead of outdoors.
Early symptoms of CO poisoning include irritated eyes, headache, nausea, weakness and dizziness. Symptoms are often confused with seasickness or intoxication. Get anyone with these symptoms into fresh air immediately.
Clearer symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning can include: