Carbon monoxide is an odorless and colorless gas that can cause death in humans and pets. Early evidence includes such common symptoms as headaches, fatigue, issues with memory and nausea, which are often assumed to be due to simple stress or an oncoming virus. Once carbon monoxide reaches high levels it can cause seizures, coma and even death.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is released into your home by what are called combustion appliances. These are appliances that use the burning of fuel to operate. Some examples include furnaces, water heaters, gas stoves, gas dryers and gas log fireplaces. Any of these appliances can leak carbon monoxide into your home. For this reason, professional carbon monoxide testing services are an important part of your home safety plan.

Many homeowners wonder why investing in carbon monoxide testing services is important when they have CO detectors in every recommended area of their home. The truth is, even if you have a CO detector inside each sleeping area, as well as on every floor of your house and in your basement, home CO detectors only alarm if they detect levels that are immediately dangerous to the health and safety of your family.

Even the most sensitive CO detectors are only required to alarm once the level of 70 ppm of carbon monoxide is detected in your home for one to four hours. At 70 ppm, even the healthiest adults in your family will probably have begun to notice the early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. Children, the elderly and those suffering from heart or respiratory problems have been known to be negatively impacted by chronic CO exposure as low as 35 ppm.

Once the alarm is activated on your home CO detector, the National Safety Council recommends that you immediately evacuate your family, call 911 and do not reenter your home until emergency services confirm that it is safe. At this point, lower levels of carbon monoxide have probably been affecting your family for days, weeks or even longer. These detectors are extremely important and have saved the lives of many families, but the carbon monoxide testing services industry knows that we can and should do more.