Proactive CO Prevention: How HVAC Professionals Can Save Lives Before It’s Too Late

Carbon Monoxide (CO) isn't just a winter issue. As I write this article, a local Lexington, Kentucky news story broke that one person is dead and 11 others hospitalized from CO poisoning. As more details emerge, hopefully, they'll identify the source. But for now, code officials have condemned the building and evacuated all tenants. Ironically, I'm also preparing for the third Annual CO Safety Summit hosted by the National Carbon Monoxide Awareness Association (NCOAA).

Most news stories promote store-bought CO alarms as the first line of defense against CO poisoning. It seems like an easy prevention step. Plug the alarm into a receptacle and you're protected, right? If the CO alarm sounds, news outlets often suggest calling first responders, such as the fire department and gas company. Unfortunately, by the time this scenario plays out, it's too late — flue gases, including carbon monoxide, are already in the living space.

What if there were a way to prevent CO poisoning incidents before they occur? This idea was central to a discussion I recently had with National Comfort Institute (NCI) CEO and President Dominick Guarino. Our conversation led to the concept of a new type of HVAC professional who works with first responders, so they don't have to respond in the first place. It's a role Dominick called "Pre-responders."

The HVAC Industry Fits Perfectly as Pre-Responders

No industry is better positioned to be the first line of defense against CO than the HVAC industry. As service providers, we're in homes more often than other industries. This fact provides the perfect opportunity to verify the safe operation of any fuel-burning appliances in a building. Often, there is no ambient CO, but the equipment's flue gas CO readings may be extremely high and worsening. Imagine how many CO problems we could prevent by focusing on this single aspect.

Pre-responders know the difference between ambient CO testing and equipment CO testing. They understand that the information these tests provide is very different. Ambient CO testing informs them about the air they are breathing, which is crucial for personal safety. In equipment CO testing, the Pre-responder gathers needed information to diagnose the source(s) of a potential CO issue.

Remember, most store-bought CO alarms offer no protection against low-level CO poisoning, and traditional first responders cannot test and verify the safe operation of fuel-burning equipment. Since it's the HVAC industry that installs, services, and maintains these appliances, first responders need our help.

Pre-Responders Understand the Equipment

No one understands fuel-burning equipment better than our industry. If there's a CO issue, a Pre-responder can diagnose and solve the problem. Too many in our industry take a shotgun approach, hoping they hit the correct answer. The usual suspects are a cracked heat exchanger or a bad CO alarm. Pre-responders don't make these assumptions. Instead, they test, diagnose, and then identify the cause of a CO problem.

Since Pre-responders have a firm understanding of the equipment, they also understand that equipment replacement doesn't always fix a CO problem. They know hidden interactions can influence the equipment's operating characteristics. And unless they can replicate those hidden interactions, they'll miss the source of the problem. Pre-responders can predict and reproduce these interactions since they have a firm understanding of equipment and building science principles.

Pre-responders require the right test instruments, including a combustion analyzer, micromanometer (for measuring draft), and a personal low-level CO monitor. Since testing is essential to a Pre-responder's role, each installation requires the proper test ports to be installed in the flue, allowing for accurate measurement of the necessary readings.

From the readings gathered, they must know how to interpret the test results. This scenario is where the Pre-responder can make a real difference in CO prevention. Unless they know how to make sense of the readings and have a repeatable process for handling the resulting problems, they're just guessing.

From Idea to Reality

The first thing needed for Pre-responders to become a reality is a change in company philosophy. This change begins with company leadership and extends down through the ranks to achieve a comprehensive transformation in company culture. If your primary purpose isn't the safety of your employees and customers, you probably won't get excited about a change like this. However, if you value their safety, it may be the best course of action you can take.

Maintenance agreements and emergency service calls would be the ideal time to implement Pre-responders. That means Pre-responders would need adequate time to test equipment for safe operation. If you have a dispatcher who schedules an unreasonable number of calls per day, the chances of overlooking a potential problem due to time constraints are high.

Proper training, certification, and quality test instruments are crucial for Pre-responders. If they lack sufficient training to use a combustion analyzer and micromanometer, they may overlook many issues. Testing should be an essential part of each call on all fuel-fired equipment. Proper operation should never be assumed. It's time to leave behind the old visual assumptions that have plagued our industry for years.

Pre-responders understand that store-bought CO alarms, although required in many areas, don't provide genuine protection. They know that low-level CO monitors are essential for extra protection but also recognize that they are not the complete answer. They don't rely on these devices alone to replace their role in proper testing and diagnostics. Instead, they add them to their line of safety offerings for a complete package.

It will take more than the HVAC industry to make Pre-responders effective. We will need the help and cooperation of other entities with the same goals for public safety and health. Some of these partners on a local and national level include:

• Code Officials; 
• Fire Departments;
• Utility Providers; and
• Public Health and Safety Officials

With cooperation and improved messaging, we can all work together for the greater good to make a difference in our communities, so we don't see more news stories like the one I did. Our industry can make a difference, and that's the message NCI is taking to the NCOAA conference.