Detectors which sound must be taken seriously. The alarm indicates a problem with CO, not a problem with the detector. Without definitive answers to both questions the CO problem can not be solved. Backdraft indicators should be used on all naturally drafting appliances. Carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas, each year claims lives and causes illnesses for many more.
High levels kill in a short period.
Because CO is a cumulative poison, moderate levels cause health problems and may lead to eventual death. October 1996 Return to Carbon Monoxide homepage. Return to Iowa State University Extension homepage.