CPSC Recommends Carbon Monoxide Alarm for Every Home
NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20207
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 18, 2001
Release # 01-069
CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: Ken Giles, (301) 504-7052
CPSC Recommends Carbon Monoxide Alarm for Every Home
WASHINGTON, D.C. - After a recent rash of carbon monoxide poisonings -
including incidents in Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey -- the U.S.
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is repeating its
recommendation that every home should have a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm.
CPSC also urges consumers to have a professional inspection of all fuel-
burning appliances -- including furnaces, stoves, fireplaces, clothes
dryers, water heaters, and space heaters -- to detect deadly carbon
monoxide leaks.
These appliances burn fuels, such as gas, both natural and
liquefied petroleum; kerosene; oil; coal; or wood. Under certain
conditions, fuel-burning appliances can produce deadly CO. However,
with proper installation and maintenance, they are safe to use.
CO is a colorless, odorless gas produced by burning any fuel. The
initial symptoms of CO poisoning are similar to the flu, and include
headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea and dizziness. Exposure
to high levels of CO can cause death.
"CO poisoning associated with using fuel-burning products kills
more than 200 people each year," said CPSC Chairman Ann Brown.
CPSC recommends that the yearly professional inspection include
checking chimneys, flues and vents for leakage and blockage by creosote
and debris. Leakage through cracks or holes could cause black stains on
the outside of the chimney or flue. These stains can mean that
pollutants are leaking into the house. In addition, have all vents to
furnaces, water heaters, boilers and other fuel-burning appliances
checked to make sure they are not loose or disconnected.
Make sure your appliances are inspected for adequate ventilation. A
supply of fresh air is important to help carry pollutants up the
chimney, stovepipe or flue, and is necessary for the complete combustion
of any fuel. Never block ventilation air openings.
CPSC recommends that every home should have at least one CO alarm
that meets the requirements of the most recent Underwriters Laboratories
(UL) 2034 standard or International Approval Services 6-96 standard.
Recall Program to Replace Vent Pipes
Consumers should also have the vent pipes on their heating systems
inspected. In 1998, virtually the entire furnace and boiler industry
together with the manufacturers of high-temperature plastic vent (HTPV)
pipes joined with CPSC to announce a vent pipe recall program. The
program's purpose is to replace, free of charge, an estimated 250,000
HTPV pipe systems attached to gas or propane furnaces or boilers in
consumers' homes. The HTPV pipes could crack or separate at the joints
and leak CO.
Consumers can check the vent pipes attached to their natural gas or
propane furnaces or boilers to determine if they are part of this
recall. They can be identified as follows: the vent pipes are plastic;
the vent pipes are colored gray or black; and the vent pipes have the
names "Plexvent®," "Plexvent®II" or "Ultravent®" stamped on the
vent pipe or printed on stickers placed on pieces used to connect the
vent pipes together. Consumers should also check the location of these
vent pipes. For furnaces, only HTPV systems that have vent pipes that go
through the sidewalls of structures (horizontal systems) are subject to
this program. For boilers, all HTPV systems are subject to this program.
Other plastic vent pipes, such as white PVC or CPVC, are not involved in
this program.
After checking the vent pipes, consumers should call the recall
hotline toll-free at (800) 758-3688 Monday through Friday from 7 am to 6 pm CST, to verify that their appliance venting systems are
subject to this program. Consumers with eligible systems will receive
new, professionally installed venting systems free of charge.
Additionally, consumers who already have replaced their HTPV pipe
systems may be eligible for reimbursement for some or all of the
replacement costs.