From 1979-1988 11,500 people died from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning...many of them were poisoned at home. And yet today 86% of US homes still don't have carbon monoxide detectors - partly because they have been too expensive or too unreliable. However, some former military technology might just be saving homeowners lives in the future. We'll visit Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory where electrochemical detectors developed during the cold war are being researched and tested for tomorrow's "gas guardians."
Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas produced when fuels such as wood, oil or gas are burned. You can't see it, smell it or taste it, but you don't want to ignore it - it's responsible for 5,000 deaths and 10,000 hospitalizations every year. You can be affected by carbon monoxide without even knowing that it's present.
We're surrounded by carbon monoxide every day, but outdoors it's generally not considered a health threat. It becomes dangerous when it's trapped indoors.
The hemoglobin in our blood absorbs carbon monoxide faster than oxygen. The result is a slow suffocation, which begins with a feeling of confusion and drowsiness. The symptoms often mimic those of the common flu and are easily misdiagnosed, even by doctors.
Most people don't realize that normal household appliances can produce carbon monoxide . The most common sources are items such as furnaces, fireplaces, ovens and water heaters fueled by natural gas. Homes with attached garages are also more susceptible , especially when automobiles are left running inside.
Although carbon monoxide can go unseen by humans, it has a harder time getting past modern carbon monoxide detectors. Unfortunately, as few as one home in seven has a detector. A number of factors are to blame, but the main reasons are lack of awareness and unreliable performance in earlier detectors.
Today manufacturers are creating detectors that are more accurate and dependable . One example comes from Quantum Group, which has created a silicon dioxide disk that mimics the body's absorption rate of carbon monoxide. The detectors shine infrared light through the disk to monitor how quickly it absorbs the gas. If the absorption rate changes, the detector sounds the alarm. The detectors also use a nonpowered dehumidifier borrowed from Department of Defense missile technology.
An easy way of protecting your home from carbon monoxide is to make sure all pilot lights are burning bright blue and are well ventilated. Another way is to shut off your car's engine as soon as you pull into the garage. The best protection, however , comes from a carbon monoxide detector. Fortunately, with advances in technology , combined smoke detector/carbon monoxide detectors should soon be available.
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