If you or your family experience any of the below symptoms and you have reason to believe CO may be involved, you must seek urgent medical advice.

Symptoms

Common Mild Exposure - Slight headache, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, flu-like symptoms

Common Medium Exposure - Throbbing headache, drowsiness, confusion, fast heart rate

Common Extreme Exposure - Convulsions, unconsciousness, brain damage, heart and lung failure followed by death

Clues around the house

• Yellow or orange rather than blue gas flames on gas appliances (apart from fuel effect fires or flueless appliances which display this colour flame)
• Soot or yellow/brown staining around or on appliances
• Pilot lights that frequently blow out
• Increased condensation inside windows

Additional clues

• More than one person in a household is affected
• Symptoms ease when away from home/on holiday/when heating appliances are off
• Symptoms worsen when cooking
• Pets suddenly die, without apparent cause

People most at risk

All people and animals are at risk from CO poisoning.  However the following groups are more susceptible to its effects - pregnant women and unborn babies, infants, elderly and people with chronic heart disease, anemia or respiratory problems.  Also, anyone living in a home with fuel-burning appliances, a fireplace, living in an attached house with shared flues/chimneys or an attached garage.

What to do if you suspect CO:

• Remove everyone from the area
• Open all windows and doors for ventilation
• If it safe to do so, shut off the gas supply or call Transco on 0800 111 999
• Seek urgent medical advice, where your doctor will need to test you for a blood or breath sample. Be aware, CO quickly leaves the blood and tests may be inaccurate if taken more than four hours after exposure has ceased
• Once treated for CO, consult a CORGI-registered engineer to check the appliances and ensure that CO has vacated the building