What is Carbon Monoxide?
Carbon monoxide is a gas that is the by-product of fossil fuels not completely combusting, such as kerosene, oil, charcoal, wood, coal, or oil. Common situations that can cause carbon monoxide (CO) is when certain appliances such as your furnace, water heater, oven, or space heaters are not working correctly. Appliances that are vented properly allow fresh air into your building or home which allows complete combustion to take place, leaving behind only trace amounts of CO.
Conditions That Cause Carbon Monoxide Levels to Rise Quickly
It is worth noting that trace amounts of carbon monoxide can build quickly, and you may not know you are being poisoned until the damage has been done. Certain conditions can cause CO levels to become quickly elevated, including:
- Improper ventilation of a charcoal grill, fireplace, or any other burning material source
- Leaving your car running in a closed, attached garage, allowing CO to get into your house
- Your chimney, vent, flue is obstructed with debris
- Running multiple appliances simultaneously, no matter what their condition
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Symptoms
Due to carbon monoxide being odorless and tasteless, it is crucial that you are aware of symptoms to watch for. For mild CO poisoning, people typically suffer from fatigue, nausea, headache, and overall feeling of being ill. The next level of poising, medium CO poisoning, symptoms can include elevated heart rate, drowsiness, throbbing headache, and drowsiness. People with a high exposure can suffer from unconsciousness, convulsions, or lung and heart failure. High exposure can also cause permanent brain damage or death.
Importance of Commercial Property Carbon Monoxide Detection
The bottom line is carbon monoxide detectors can save lives. Carbon monoxide detectors are a first defense in alerting building occupants of CO exposure, which can occur during industrial setups and construction to office workspaces. Business owners are responsible for protecting the lives of everyone working or living on their property, so making sure they have a properly functioning fire alarm system complete with CO detection is vital.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) provides recommendations and guidance with standards and codes regarding fire protection devices, and have stated the use of carbon monoxide detectors does in fact save lives.
Carbon monoxide detectors can be integrated into your current fire alarm system, providing the highest level of protection for your occupants. The CO detection system would be linked to your fire alarm system with a central control panel and be monitored 24/7/365. If an alarm is triggered, the monitoring company will quickly notify emergency responders to be dispatched to the location, even if the emergency occurs after hours.
High Rise Security Systems (HRSS) is highly skilled in designing unique commercial fire and life safety systems with integration in mind. We have been providing clients with custom fire safety systems in the Chicagoland area for over 30 years. Allow our team of knowledgeable professionals to customize your new or existing fire alarm system with integrated carbon monoxide detection for the highest level of protection.
HRSS is an industry-leader in customized commercial fire and life safety systems for any size business. We understand the importance of having a complete and functional fire safety system with integrated carbon monoxide detection, so loss of life is prevented at all costs. Contact us to learn more about how we can help protect your occupants with an integrated carbon monoxide detection system.