Definition
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas produced when fuels such as natural gas, propane, wood or gasoline burn incompletely. Household sources include leaking or back-drafting furnaces, blocked flues, wood stoves and portable generators. EPA notes exposure causes headaches, dizziness, confusion and nausea and can be fatal at high levels.
Also called: CO
Why it matters to you
Many SW Washington homes combine a gas furnace with a gas water heater, fireplace or wood stove, all running through the long heating season. Winter storm outages also bring portable generators into use, and because CO cannot be seen or smelled, an alarm is the only dependable warning.
Practical guidance
Install CO alarms on each level outside sleeping areas, as CPSC recommends, test them regularly and run generators outdoors only, never in a garage. If an alarm sounds, get everyone outside and call 911 from there; finding and fixing the source is work for emergency responders and a licensed technician.
About this definition
Written by the Home Energy Group team — a family-owned HVAC company celebrating 25 years of comfort & care across SW Washington and the Portland metro, licensed in Washington (WA LIC# HOMEEGI003J7) and Oregon (OR CCB# 184255). Definitions inform; an on-site diagnosis decides.
