What is Carbon Monoxide?

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a deadly poisonous gas which

• cannot be SEEN
• cannot be TASTED
• cannot be SMELT

It is released when any fuel contaning carbon, like gas, oil, coal, coke, petrol or wood doesn't combust or burn fully as there is not enough air available.  This can happen when appliances like boilers or room heaters have been wrongly installed or poorly maintained.  It can also happen when air is not circulating, for exmaple if a flue, chimney, vent or air-brick has been blocked.

Accidental exposure to CO is known to cause death to over 50 people a year in the UK alone and probably tens of thousands around the world.

People who inhale even small quantities of Carbon Monoxide can suffer harmful effects and CO can cause death in minutes in the right concentration.  The build up of CO in the blood increases the carboxyhemoglobin level and interefers with the bodies ability to supply itself with oxygen.

As the gas is invisible, tasteless and without smell, carbon monoxide poisoning is impossible to detect without a special CO detector. 

The best way to prevent accidental Carbon Monoxide poisoning is to buy a Carbon Monoxide Alarm.