Carbon Monoxide Safety
Warning Signs of CO: Clues You Can See...
• Streaks of carbon or soot around the service door of
your fuel-burning appliances.
• A yellow or orange flame may indicate a problem with
natural gas appliances.
• Excessive rusting on flue pipes or appliance jackets.
• Loose or missing furnace panel.
• Moisture collecting on the windows and walls of
furnace rooms.
• Loose or disconnected vent/chimney, fireplace or
appliance.
• Small amounts of water leaking from the base of the
chimney, vent or flue pipe.
• Rust on the portion of the vent pipe visible from
outside your home.
• The absence of a draft in your chimney (indicating
blockage).
• Fallen soot from the fireplace chimney.
• Loose, damaged or discolored bricks on your chimney.
Clues You Cannot See...
• Internal appliance damage or malfunctioning
components.
• Improper burner adjustment.
• Hidden blockage or damage in chimneys.
Carbon Monoxide Safety
Effects of Carbon Monoxide Exposure of Healthy Adults.
Concentration of CO in Air Approximate Inhalation Time and
(ppm = parts per million) Symptoms Developed
50 ppm The maximum allowable concentration for
continuous exposure for healthy adults in any 8-hour
period, according to OSHA (Occupational Safety and
Health Administration)
200 ppm Slight headache, fatigue, dizziness, nausea after 2-3
hours.
400 ppm Frontal headaches within 1-2 hours, life threatening
after 3 hours.
800 ppm Dizziness, nausea and convulsions within 45
minutes. Unconsciousness within 2 hours. Death
within 2-3 hours.
1 600 ppm Headache, dizziness and nausea within 20 minutes.
Death within 1 hour.
3 200 ppm Headache, dizziness and nausea within 5-10 minutes.
Death within 25-30 minutes.
6 400 ppm Headache, dizziness and nausea within 1-2 minutes.
Death within 10-15 minutes.
12 800 ppm Death within 1-3 minutes.
D e t e rmine if anyone in the household is experiencing
symptoms of CO poisoning. Many cases of reported CO
poisoning indicate that while victims are aware they are not
well, they become so disoriented that they are unable to save
themselves by either exiting the building or calling for
assistance. Also young children, older family members, and
household pets may be the first affected. The symptoms of
carbon monoxide poisoning, covered at the beginning of this
section, should be discussed with ALL members of the
h o u s e h o l d .
Become familiar with the common symptoms from CO poisoning.
If you experience even mild symptoms of CO poisoning, consult
your doctor immediately!
2019
820-1216_RevA_107|215_MAN_ENG 6/7/06 8:54 AM Page 20
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