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Office of Information and Public Affairs |
Washington, DC 20207 |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772 |
WASHINGTON,
D.C.
– As the weather turns colder, consumers need to be aware of an invisible killer
that can seep through the home, causing serious injury or death. In
Benton Harbor,
Mich.,
three family members were hospitalized due to carbon monoxide poisoning caused
by a malfunctioning furnace or gas water heater. In Salt Lake City, Utah, a man
was hospitalized with carbon monoxide poisoning after the furnace in his
condominium malfunctioned. These incidents are not old news; they occurred just
last month.
To help prevent carbon monoxide (CO) poisonings, the U.S. Consumer Product
Safety Commission (CPSC) urges consumers to have a professional inspection of
all fuel-burning heating systems, including furnaces, boilers, fireplaces, water
heaters, space heaters, chimneys, flues, and vents.
"Each year, CO poisoning from heating systems, water heaters, and ranges and
ovens kills about 80 people in the U.S.," said CPSC Chairman Hal Stratton. "Many
of these tragedies could be prevented by having a professional check these
appliances annually for proper operation and CO leaks."
CO is a colorless, odorless gas that can be produced by burning fuels such as
natural gas, propane, oil, kerosene, coal, or wood. Properly installed and
operating fuel-burning appliances pose minimal CO hazards. However, under
certain conditions, all appliances that burn fuels can leak deadly levels of CO
into the home. The initial symptoms of CO poisoning are similar to flu (but
without the fever) and include headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea
and dizziness. Exposure to high levels of CO can cause death.
CPSC recommends that the yearly professional inspection include checking
chimneys, flues and vents for leakage, blockage by debris, and to make sure they
are not loose or disconnected. Birds, other animals and insects can build nests
in vents over spring and summer, resulting in blockages that cause deadly
exhaust to enter the home. The inspector should also check appliance operation
to ensure proper fuel input rate, gas pressure, and operating temperatures.
In addition, the inspector should check appliances for gas leaks and adequate
ventilation. A supply of fresh air is important to help carry pollutants up the
chimney, stovepipe or flue, and fresh air is necessary for the complete
combustion of any fuel. Never block ventilation air openings and check the
appliance filter to ensure it is clean. Make sure the appliance is operating on
the fuel that it is designed to use. To convert an appliance to burn propane,
hire a professional to do the modification.
"CPSC recommends that every home have a CO alarm in the hallway near bedrooms in
each sleeping area," said Chairman Stratton. "A CO alarm can wake you up and
give you time to save your family." The CO alarm should meet one of these
standards: Canadian Standards Association 6.19-01, 2001; Underwriters
Laboratories Inc. 2034, Second Edition, October 1998; or the International
Approval Services 6-96, Second Edition, June 1, 1998. Check batteries monthly
and replace them annually.
CPSC worked with the furnace and boiler industry and the manufacturers of high-temperature plastic vent (HTPV) pipes to conduct a vent pipe recall program. The program's purpose is to replace, free, an estimated 250,000 HTPV pipe systems attached to gas or propane furnaces or boilers in consumers'
homes.
The HTPV pipes could crack or separate at the joints and leak CO. Consumers
should call the HTPV pipe recall Hotline toll-free at (800) 758-3688, between 7
a.m. and 11 p.m. ET, seven days a week, to verify whether their appliance
venting systems are subject to this program.
CPSC staff continues to work with the furnace industry and other interested
parties to develop new technologies to address the hazards of CO poisoning and
fire. Results include a furnace voluntary standard that includes requirements
for blocked-vent shut-off devices to protect against blocked vent pipes and
chimneys, and vented heater requirements to guard against a vent pipe becoming
separated from the furnace. Both conditions could lead to CO poisonings.
Although improvements have been made in modern furnaces, they do not protect
against all conditions that can lead to CO exposure. All gas-fired furnaces
manufactured since 1987 have flame roll-out protection technology that prevents
flames from spilling out of the furnace's combustion chamber and starting a
fire.
Consumers should never use gasoline-powered generators or charcoal grills
indoors or in attached garages because of the risk of CO poisoning: opening
doors and windows or operating fans cannot supply adequate ventilation and can
be deadly. Use a generator outside in a dry area away from doors, windows, and
vents that could allow CO to come indoors. Even with a CO alarm, NEVER use a
gasoline-powered generator or a charcoal grill inside.
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Send the link for this page to a friend! The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $700 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit CPSC's web site at www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. To join a CPSC email subscription list, please go to www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov.