Upon entering the residence, we immediately got readings of 40-60ppm of CO in the home. As we investigated to find the source, we encountered levels as high as 1300ppm. The source was eventually narrowed down to a malfunctioning wood stove.

To put our meter reading into perspective, the maximum safe level of CO for indoors in 9ppm over an 8-hour period. At 200ppm physical symptoms (shortness of breath, nausea, headaches, etc) will begin and it can be fatal within a few hours. At 800pp, Carbon Monoxide can kill within minutes. Thankfully, the residents in today's incident had carbon monoxide alarms in their home and they called for assistance when they activated.

Have at CO detectors on every level of your house. Carbon Monoxide is lighter than air which means that it will go up to the ceiling and works its way down. Best placement for detectors is on a wall, roughly 5-6 inches away from the ceiling or on the ceiling about a foot away from any walls.

So what is Carbon Monoxide (CO)? It's a colorless, odorless, tasteless and non-irritating poisonous gas that produced by the incomplete combustion of fuels like wood, gasoline, and natural gas. Often referred to as the "Silent Killer", Carbon Monoxide can easily incapacitate people and lead to death.

For more information on Carbon Monoxide click on this link: https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/home-fire-safety/carbon-monoxide