The silent killer in our homes.

Although CO is colourless, odourless and tasteless CO is a highly poisonous gas, which can be released by faulty fuel-burning appliances including boilers, cookers and fires. Every year in the UK, approx. 30 people die from it and many more are left with permanent brain damage causing memory loss, problems concentrating, or loss of vision and/or hearing.’

Victims usually collapse and lose consciousness very quickly. But in some instances there’s a slow build-up of this invisible poison. The symptoms are – headaches, dizziness, nausea, breathlessness, stomach aches and pains – are often put down to flu, food poisoning, viral infections or simply tiredness.

There are two simple measures to undertake:

Install an audible carbon monoxide alarm in your home and take one when you travel on holiday.

8 out of 10 households don’t have CO detectors – and that means they are putting their lives at risk.

Secondly, make sure all fuel-burning appliances are checked and certified annually by registered professionals for your fuel type (for gas, it should be a Gas Safe Registered Engineer, via www.gassaferegister.co.uk ).

Having a CO detector is no substitute for an annual safety check – but never let an untrained person install or maintain any of these fuel-burning appliances.

Other potential sources of CO include oil, wood and coal, according to COCAA (the Carbon Monoxide Consumer Awareness Alliance), an umbrella group of energy retailers, charities and industry, which works with government bodies (lots of useful information can be found on their website, www.becarbonmonoxideaware.com ).

Although carbon monoxide is undetectable, appliances usually show signs that it’s being produced.

To check:

Look at the pilot light of your gas boiler, and you might notice that instead of being blue with a crisp outline, the flames are yellow/orange in colour and ‘lazy-looking’. Other signs include sooting or staining around the appliance, or excessive condensation in the room where the appliance is installed. Good ventilation is always essential, so chimneys should be swept regularly.

Based on all the above, buying an audible CO detector as it’s a small price to save a life.