Don't Risk Your Life! (Carbon Monoxide Detectors in General)

Member Name: wiggglypufff

Product:	Carbon Monoxide Detectors in General
Date:	20/06/01 (956 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Peace of mind, It could save your life, Prices start from as little as £4.99

Disadvantages: None

Carbon Monoxide is nicknamed the silent killer because it is a colourless, odourless, tasteless, yet highly toxic gas that can be lethal!

Produced as a result of ANY fuel burning appliance, carbon monoxide becomes dangerous when the concentration in the air becomes too high. Adequate ventilation disperses carbon monoxide but if for example you have a gas fire in use and the chimney flue becomes blocked the gas will seep into the air without you noticing.

The side effects of carbon monoxide poisoning are at first very similar to flu, but as the concentration level of this toxin in your body raises the effects get increasingly worse. Headaches, nausea, dizziness, drowsiness eventually leading to unconsciousness and in many cases death.

The only way to be sure you are not at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning is to get some form of detector for your home and you have two options. A battery powered unit that bleeps if it detects carbon monoxide, or a disc that changes colour when carbon monoxide is present.

The purchase of a unit is initially the more expensive option, although once you have it, you have many years of use from it. You can pick them up for around £25. Argos currently stock one - cat. no. 701/4398 priced at £24.99 - and it comes with batteries and complete instructions for use. The advantage of this method is that the bleeping will alert you to danger.

The discs are cheaper, and are widely available, but have a limited life and so need replacing regularly (between 1 and 3 months normally, but follow instructions given). B & Q stock them in packs of two for £4.99. You write the date that you opened the packet onto the disc so you know when it’s time to replace it. The disadvantage of this method is that you have to physically check the disc for a colour change, although it’s hardly a major job to glance at it as you walk by.

Obviously it is extremely important to have your household app
liances installed by a corgi registered engineer, and to have them checked every year but a detector will alert you to a problem if something should go wrong in-between checks (ie blocked flue hence inadequate ventilation hence carbon monoxide build up).

If you think you may be suffering the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning, open windows and turn off ALL your fuel burning appliances ie fires, water boilers, cooker and do not use them until you have had them checked. Gas suppliers have emergency telephone numbers for situations of this nature and they will respond to your call.

This may sound extreme but carbon monoxide is a killer and it is not choosy about it's victims. Remember to go to the doctor too as he can test you and detect even a small amount in your body. If you are in any doubt, check it out.

Please consider the content of this review seriously. I nearly lost my husband to carbon monoxide poisoning several years ago and if this review can increase awareness of the danger in even one person then it has been worthwhile.

(It is worth mentioning that you can get a carbon monoxide build up inside cars too. It is well worth getting a disc and placing it inside your car for peace of mind.)

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