What is Carbon Dioxide?

Carbon dioxide is, as its name suggests, one carbon atom covalently bonded to two oxygen atoms. While solid (dry ice) and liquid forms of CO2 exist, it is primarily found in nature as a gas. It is produced in a variety of ways, including cell respiration – we exhale carbon dioxide when we breathe, the burning of fossil fuels, and the decomposing of organic substances. Plants take in CO2 and release the oxygen back into the environment. Recently, carbon dioxide has been identified as one of the so-called “greenhouse gases” that are said to be a factor in global warming. On a different note, an infusion of carbon dioxide is what gives your favorite soft drink its bubbly fizz.

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But carbon dioxide can have a darker side when found in high concentrations. Outdoors, CO2 is found in 300-400 parts per million of air, while indoors, it typically is found at about 600 ppm. In poorly vented, crowded rooms levels may reach 10,000 ppm, at which time people will begin to feel drowsy. Higher levels of CO2 can be emitted by faulty home appliances, electrical fixtures, and wiring in general that is not properly insulated, and levels may become toxic or fatal. Improperly vented wood fireplaces and wood burning stoves are another cause of dangerous levels of carbon dioxide, which displaces oxygen in the blood stream, starving the brain and body cells of oxygen. The first symptoms of high concentrations of carbon dioxide include nausea and headache. Where high levels of CO2 are being emitted, and ventilation is poor, asphyxiation and death may occur in a short period of time. The victim will become drowsy or disoriented, sometimes before they realize what is happening. Convulsions or loss of consciousness may occur, and without immediate removal from the danger, the victim will often die. Low-grade, long-term exposure can lead to kidney damage or dementia.

The average home can be a source of toxic or even fatal sources of carbon dioxide. Faulty appliances, fireplaces, equipment used in a basement or garage, can all produce toxic or fatal levels of CO2. The good news is that CO2 detectors are available for home use that will sound the alarm long before dangerous levels of carbon dioxide have concentrated. Several styles are available. The most common type is a CO2 detector that plugs into a standard outlet, and monitors carbon dioxide levels. They typically have a battery back-up so they keep working when the power is out – and you are using the fireplace as a primary source of heat, for example, or running a generator in the garage that may cause CO2 to seep into the house in toxic concentrations. Hard-wired models are also available that work like a common smoke detector that is wired in. When one detector goes off, they all sound the alarm. Many CO2 detectors are combined with a smoke detector, since the two dangers often co-exist, as in the fireplace example. Most will have an LED display that shows the dangerous level of CO2. To signal the alarm, some models use a high-pitched siren or continuous beeping, while other models now feature spoken warnings of CO2 dangers.

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More important than the specific type of CO2 detector you use is the absolute necessity of having at least one detector/alarm on each level of your home, and extra units near major CO2 producing items exist, like furnaces, kerosene heaters, generators, or fireplaces.