Carbon Monoxide Detectors in Perth & Australia | The Dangers of Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colourles, odorless gas made when fuel burns. Fuels include wood, petrol, coal, natural gas or kerosene. Most carbon monoxide exposure happens in winter due to the increased use of unvented space heaters in the home. An unvented heater uses combustible fuel and indoor air for the heating process. It vents the gases it makes into the room instead of outdoors. A space heater that is not installed correctly can release CO and other toxic fumes into the room and use up much of the oxygen in the room.

Other common sources of carbon monoxide include, malfunctioning cooking appliances, tobacco smoke, clogged chimney’s, fires, vehicle exhaust emissions or idling vehicles, malfunctioning oil, gas or wood heaters etc.

Breathing in carbon monoxide fumes prevents the body from using oxygen properly which in turn can damage the brain, heart and other organs. People with health problems such as heart and lung disease are at greater risk of harm. High levels of CO is dangerous because it competes with oxygen in haemoglobin cells found in your blood.

Being colourless and odorless, you will not be able to tell it’s in your home. It can cause symptoms such as;

• 35ppm: The maximum allowable concentration for continuous exposure for adults in 8 hours period
• 220 ppm: Slight headaches, fatigue, dizziness, nausea after 2-3 hours
• 400 ppm: Frontal headaches within 1-2 hours, and life threatening after 3 hours
• 800ppm: Headache, dizziness, nausea within 45 minutes. Unconsciousness after 1 hour of exposure.
• 1,600 ppm: Headache, dizziness, nausea within 20 minutes. Unconsciousness after 1 hour of exposure
• 3,200ppm: Headache, dizziness, nausea within 5-10 minutes. Unconsciousness after 30 minutes of exposure
• 6400ppm: Headache, dizziness, nausea within 1-2 minutes. Unconsciousness and danger of death after 10-15 minutes of exposure
• 12,800 ppm: Immediate physiological effects. Unconsciousness and danger of death after 1-3 minutes of exposure

Gas concentration is measured in ppm (Parts per million)

1ppm = 1 cubic meter of a pure gas / 1 million cubic meters (100m x 100m x 100m)