Conditions That Can Produce Carbon Monoxide

1.Information About Carbon Monoxide

•Blocked chimneys or flues, back drafts and changes in air pressure, cor- roded or disconnected vent pipes, loose or cracked furnace exchangers.

•Vehicles and other combustion engines running in an open or closed garage, attached or near a home.

•Burning charcoal or fuel in grills and barbecues in an enclosed area.

The following conditions can result in transient CO situations:

•Excessive spillage or reverse venting of fuel-burning appliances caused by outdoor ambient conditions, such as, wind direction and/or veloc- ity, including high gusts of wind, heavy air in the vent pipes (cold/ humid air with extended periods between cycles).

•Negative pressure resulting from the use of exhaust fans.

•Simultaneous operation of several fuel-burning appliances competing for limited internal air.

•Vent pipe connections vibrating loose from clothes dryers, furnaces, or water heaters.

•Obstructions in, or unconventional, vent pipe designs which can amplify the above situations.

•Extended operation of unvented fuel-burning devices (range, oven, fireplace, etc.).

•Temperature inversions which can trap exhaust gases near the ground.

•Vehicle idling in an open or closed garage, or near a home.

Information About Carbon Monoxide Alarms – What They Can and Cannot Do:

CO alarms provide early warning of the presence of CO, usually before a healthy adult would experience symptoms. This early warning is possible, however, only if your CO alarm is located, installed and maintained as described in this guide.

Because carbon monoxide is a cumulative poison, long-term exposures to low levels may cause symptoms, as well as short-term exposures to high levels. This Kidde unit has a time-weighted alarm – the higher the level of CO present, the sooner the alarm will be triggered.