Gas ranges, furnaces, fireplaces, and wood stoves are common household sources.
Breathing small amounts of CO can make you sick - sometimes very sick, and breathing large amounts can kill you. Symptoms include constant headaches, fatigue, nausea, dizziness, and sleepiness. Carbon monoxide is a leading cause of fatal poisonings in America today. The problem becomes particularly urgent in winter when storm windows, weather stripping and sealers keep the house tight and windows are rarely opened. Any home with a furnace, water heater, fireplace, wood stove, space heater, or appliance that operates on a flammable fuel is a candidate for carbon monoxide build-up.