What is Carbon Monoxide ?

CARBON MONOXIDE
Every home inspection that is conducted is looking for clues that may indicate possible Carbon Monoxide  (CO) issues.  CO  is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that can be derived from multiple sources in a typical Toronto home.  It can have a very serious impact on human health  found in high concentrations in confined spaces.
Some of the items that contribute  to CO in home may include:

• Gas Stoves
• Fireplaces
• Automobiles
• Furnaces

The top 3  sources of Carbon Monixide in the home are,

1. Automobile exhaust in attached garages

The number one source of CO in the home comes from the garage.  This accounts for approxiately 60% of all CO alarms. People who idle their cars in the garage for example, even with the garage door open run the risk of CO entering the home through holes in the walls, open seams.
2. Gas cooking stoves

Cooking appliances such as a gas stove accounts for approximately 20% of CO alarms. Often times this is a result of poorly installed range hood, equipment misuse, and not following the manufacturers specifications.
3.  Poor venting of the furnace
This is also a serious causes for CO build up in a home.  This accounts for approximately to 20% of CO alarms. The products of combustion are correctly vented to the exterior. This could be due to a variety of reasons including potential venting problems, inadequate appliance venting,  poor installation, and negative air pressure in the house, causing back drafting, often due to exhaust fans.
There are a number of items that should be checked in your home by a qualified specialist.  The inspection check list should include looking for:

• Blocked flues and chimneys
• Cracked, rusted, or disconnected flue pipes
• Dirty filters
• Rusted or cracked heat exchangers
• Soot or creosote build-up inside fireplaces and chimney flues
• Garage should be gas proofing
• Adequate venting on indoor combustion appliances (i.e-gas stoves)

The next item is to ensure you have CO detector.

Smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors should be provided at every floor level of every home, including basements and crawl spaces. (Even if they are present during the inspection, we recommend replacing detectors.) Smoke detectors should be close to sleeping areas, and carbon monoxide detectors should be in any room with a wood-burning stove or fireplace. These devices are not tested as part of a home inspection. Once you take possession of the home, detectors should be tested regularly, and replaced every 10 years. If unsure of the age of a smoke detector, it should be replaced. Smoke detector batteries should be replaced annually.