Smoke Alarm & Carbon Monoxide Detectors Inspection

Arrangement has been made for inspecting the smoke alarm and carbon monoxice detectors today between 9.00 am to 5.00 pm.  I therefore stay home waiting until the technicians come and finish the inspection before I can my routine Saturday activities.

Meanwhile, here are my articles about carbon monoxide:

 
Carbon Monoxide Alarm Due to Exhaust Gas from Garage


Home safety This afternoon, I gave Billy a call asking if he can come over to my home to check out the furnace.  Billy is a licensed electrician specialized in air-conditioners and furnace.  He said he can come and he asked me what happened to the furnace.

I told him what happened last night regarding the alarm from the carbon monoxide detector.   I suspect that is related to furnace incomplete combustion.

At this point, Billy asked me where exactly is my new home.  I did  not tell him my new address.  When I told him I have moved to a new home which is at the intersection of Bayview and 16th Avenue close to the Chinese supermarket, he said the townhouses in that area are pretty new and the furnaces should be in good working conditons.   He continued saying in most CO cases in Toronto,  they are related to the excessive exhaust gas trapped inside the  garage.

When people start their car inside the garage, CO is discharged and stayed inside the garage.  The released CO could easily sucked into the house especially where there is the exit door from the house to the garage.   He asked me at that point did I start the car inside the garage yesterday? Yes, I did.   It was around 9:00 - 9:30  p.m.  The  carbon monoxide alarm ran off  around 10:45 to 11:00 p.m.    The question over yesterady's CO alarm is clear now.   Any way, I told Billy to come within this week to check out the furnace.  This maintaince is essential for home safety.

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Carbon Monoxide Detector for a Boomer's Home


Carbon monoxide detector 1  Last night around 11:00p.m. the carbon monoxide alarm at the top level of my house burst out its first alarm.  It is a very high pitch beeping noise almost piercing through the ear-drum.  I opened the windows of my bedroom as well as those of Alison.   Then I tried to reset the alarm hoping that I could stop that ear deafening beeping but it did not work.  Alison then called her boyfriend seeking for some helpful advice.

I was thinking what I should do next.  Should I go to the management office asking the on duty security guard to help?   Should I phone the furnace company?  Or Should I call the Fire Department?  Suddenly, I determined to switch off the main power of the house.  I know to would black out the house of less than one second.  Then  I would put the power back again by switching it on .  The purpose of this exercise is to retest the carbon monoxide for a second time.  If there were still high concentration of carbon monoxide in the house, the alert should beep again.  If the alarm does not beep,  it means that there is no and very low concentration of CO as the result after we have opened some windows and doors to let fresh air into the house.  My guess was right. There was no more beep!  Thank God!!! 

To make sure that there is no more carbon monoxide, we plugged in a portable carbon monoxide device at the top level of the house where there is a built in CO detecting device.   We tested this portable device making sure it is working first.  Then we put it onto the wall plug-in socket.    No beep.  And that is a good  sign.

We still left the windows opened as we went to sleep.   However, all people in the house could not sleep well.  The reason is obvious as we have to be alert.     

Your advice on this will be much appreciated.  

Carbon monoxide poisoning

Carbon monoxide is a significantly toxic gas and has no odor or color. It is the most common type of fatal poisoning in many countries.[18] Exposures can lead to significant toxicity of the central nervous system and heart. Following poisoning, long-term sequelae often occurs. Carbon monoxide can also have severe effects on the fetus of a pregnant woman. Symptoms of mild poisoning include headaches and dizziness at concentrations less than 100 ppm. Concentrations as low as 667 ppm can cause up to 50% of the body's haemoglobin to be converted to carboxy-haemoglobin (HbCO). Carboxy-haemoglobin is quite stable but this change is reversible. Carboxy-haemoglobin is ineffective for delivering oxygen, resulting in some body parts not receiving oxygen needed. As a result, exposures of this level can be life-threatening. In the United States, OSHA limits long-term workplace exposure levels to 50 ppm.

The mechanisms by which carbon monoxide produces toxic effects are not yet fully understood, but haemoglobin, myoglobin, and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase are thought to be compromised. Treatment largely consists of administering 100% oxygen or hyperbaric oxygen therapy, although the optimum treatment remains controversial.[19] Domestic carbon monoxide poisoning can be prevented by the use of household carbon monoxide detectors.