Homeowners and contractors need to know that when they replace 70%- or 80%-efficient furnaces with 90%-efficient furnaces and leave standard atmospheric draft water heaters orphaned, old atmospheric water heaters may backdraft, creating CO problems for the occupants.
Non-fire-related CO poisoning is responsible for approximately 15,000 emergency department visits and nearly 500 deaths per year in the United States, according to CDC data from the National Poison Data System. Therma-View Infrared and Energy Consultants conducted research on data provided by a third-party quality control inspection firm that inspected more than 5,000 homes that received energy retrofit measures through energy efficiency programs and found that 60% of houses with 80% or lower-efficiency gas furnaces and natural-draft water heaters had inadequate draft pressure; 50% of orphaned water heaters spilled flue gasses for longer than one minute upon completion of energy retrofit work to the building; and 10% of the combustion appliances had dangerous levels of CO. (Home Energy Magazine) for complete article in Home Energy Magazine click here
Carbon Monoxide is not only a silent killer, it is causing a lot of people to suffer ailments that resemble flu and causes headaches, migraines and is possibly implicated in the massive increase in autism spectrum disorder.
Carbon Monoxide even at low levels can have negative impacts on your health. The units you buy at big box stores are designed to wait 2 hours before alarming and they wont alarm until the CO level is very high.
That expensive CO alarm you just installed? Check this out
For info on attached garages and CO check this link form Iowa State University
