CO Dangers, Dr. D. Penney

Furnace Dangers:

CO "Leakage" into the Breathing Space:

Cracked, leaking heat exchanger

Hole in flue pipe; incorrect joining of pipes

Leaking chimney

- Disconnection

- Construction holes

- Rust-through (leaking)

Plugging of flue pipe / chimney

- Bird's nest, leaves

- Construction materials

- Plastic / tarp (in roof repair)

- Soot, creosote, tar

- Spalling of chimney interior

- Closure during construction of building next door

Back-drafting (ie. draft inadequate)

- Wind

- Too low chimney

- Cold chimney

- Too tight construction

- Geography, roof peak/edge

- Other devices generating negative pressure (eg. fans)

- Stack effect

- No scuttle

Blow-back - clogged combustion chamber (soot, etc.)

Re-uptake of exhaust gases (chimney to fresh air intake)

Over-firing (inadequate amounts of oxygen)

Poor installation / maintenance

Unvented combustion devices

- Kitchen ranges / stoves

- Sterno heating food

- Gas logs (some)

- Devices not designed for indoor use (generators, concrete saws, etc.)

Auto exhaust from garage

Explosives products

Mine gases

Fire