There are many laws in place that make it a legal requirement to install a smoke alarm inside residential and commercial properties. With this said, statistics from a 2017 study found that around 46% of homeowners didn’t have a carbon monoxide alarm in place whilst 23% didn’t even know what they were. Since CO poisoning claims around 50 lives a year, the team here at The Healthy Living and Fitness have decided to go over three reasons why a detector is so important…
Can carbon monoxide be easily detected?
Many property owners are unaware the carbon monoxide is notoriously difficult to detect because it does not have a distinctive aroma, colour or taste. As a result, people without a detector in place will inhale small amounts of carbon monoxide for several weeks before the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning start to exhibit which is why it is important to invest in an alarm.
Why is carbon monoxide poisoning dangerous?
Carbon monoxide enters the blood stream when it is inhaled and this means that prolonged exposure to the gas can lead to a dangerous medical condition called carbon monoxide poisoning. This occurs when the oxygen in the blood is gradually replaced by carbon, preventing the body from obtaining the oxygen it needs to survive. Known as a silent killer, carbon monoxide poisoning is often mistaken for flue because the symptoms include headaches, weakness, dizziness, nausea and shortness of breath. Many homeowners find out they have high levels of CO inside their property after falling ill, however a detector can alert people to very small levels and ensure that the problem is dealt with before carbon monoxide poising manages to take hold.
How does a carbon monoxide detector work?
There are a variety of different types of carbon monoxide alarms available on the market that all work in different ways to alert homeowners to the presence of the dangerous gas. For example, biomimetic sensor systems have a gel that changes colour when carbon monoxide is absorbed which then triggers the alarm; metal oxide semiconductor systems have a silica chip circuitry that lowers the electrical resistance when carbon monoxide is detected, triggering the alarm; and electrochemical sensor systems are fitted with electrodes that are immersed in a chemical solution and sense electrical current changes caused by carbon monoxide to trigger the alarm.
As one of the most dangerous gases around due to its lack of taste, colour and smell, carbon monoxide is often created during the incomplete combustion of carbon-based fuels like coal, firewood and gas. As a result, the team at Pearson Fuels are urging homeowners to invest in a carbon monoxide detector. To find out more information about burning residential fuels safely, get in contact with the best coal merchants on the market today!