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What to know about deadly carbon monoxide in your home

By: Matt Grocoff , Contributing Writer
In: Green Renovations, Home Improvement Tips

Carbon monoxide, or "CO," is an odorless, colorless gas that can kill you. And it's probably being piped into your home right now. But it doesn't need to be. Many buyers seeking healthier, safer, more environmentally friendly homes are looking to buy or are renovating homes to be all electric.

water heaters carbon monoxide

Here's a VIDEO from my friend Carl Seville, the Green Curmudgeon, demonstrating the dangers of gas water heaters.

The theatrical smoke in the video represents deadly carbon monoxide. When a kitchen exhaust fan is turned on upstairs, a negative pressure is created which pulls air from the water heater's gas exhaust vent. The back drafting reverses the flow and poisonous carbon monoxide comes into the home rather than exhausting outside.

During 1999-2010, a total of 5,149 deaths from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning occurred in the United States, an average of 430 deaths per year, according to the CDC. It's estimated that one million homes across the US, UK, and Canada are exposed to high levels of it each year.

Natural gas leaks are not just a danger inside your home. They are also a serious danger to the environment and community health. Google is now outfitting their map trucks with methane sensors to map the severity of leaking natural gas in cities around the country. They are finding shocking amounts of the poisonous gas leaking from our aging network of natural gas lines.

In his article "Burning Questions", why Prometheus was wrong, Jason McLennan writes "We distribute fuel great distances, always introducing waste and inefficiency into the equation - as well as potential dangers - and then burn it, causing pollution." You can read more about Google's methane mapping in my article "How bad are gas leaks in your neighborhood? Worse than you think."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends several ways to prevent CO poisoning in your home:

Install a battery-operated or battery back-up CO detector in your home and check or replace the battery when you change the time on your clocks each spring and fall. Check out these amazing new Nest Protect combination smoke and CO detectors.

Have your heating system, water heater, and any other gas, oil, or coal burning appliances serviced by a qualified technician every year.

Do not use portable flameless chemical heaters indoors.

If you smell an odor from your gas refrigerator have an expert service it. An odor from your gas refrigerator can mean it could be leaking CO.

When you buy gas equipment, buy only equipment carrying the seal of a national testing agency, such as Underwriters' Laboratories.

Make sure your gas appliances are vented properly. Horizontal vent pipes for appliances, such as a water heater, should go up slightly as they go toward outdoors, as shown below. This prevents CO from leaking if the joints or pipes aren't fitted tightly.

facts about gas lines

Have your chimney checked or cleaned every year. Chimneys can be blocked by debris. This can cause CO to build up inside your home or cabin.

Never patch a vent pipe with tape, gum, or something else. This kind of patch can make CO build up in your home, cabin, or camper.

Never use a gas range or oven for heating. Using a gas range or oven for heating can cause a build up of CO inside your home, cabin, or camper.

Never burn charcoal indoors. Burning charcoal - red, gray, black, or white - gives off CO.

Never use a portable gas camp stove indoors. Using a gas camp stove indoors can cause CO to build up inside your home, cabin, or camper.

facts about generators

Never use a generator inside your home, basement, or garage or less than 20 feet from any window, door, or vent.

By far, the best way to protect your family from the dangers of carbon monoxide is to eliminate all of your natural gas appliances. Fortunately, Energy Star has helped encourage extraordinary innovation in electric appliances that are making them more appealing to consumers. In July 2013 we permanently disconnected our gas meter and removed our gas line.

Here's a list of the electric appliances in my all-electric net zero energy that have replaced gas appliances making our home safe and efficient.

Before:

Gas Stove

Replaced with:

Whirlpool Induction Range

Before:

Gas water heater

Replaced with:

Rheem Heat Pump Water Heater

Before:

Mueller Climatrol Gas Furnace (installed in the house in 1957)

Replaced with:

Waterfurnace Geothermal Heating and Air Conditioning

Before:

Gas clothes dryer

Replaced with:

Whirlpool Duet Electric Dryer (We can't wait to get the new Whirlpool Heat Pump Dryer which is 30-60% more efficient)

Learn more about safer, healthier homes at http://www.HappyHome.HOW

Graphics via Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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