Carbon Monoxide Levels and Risks

Anderson Mechanical Associates LLC

Know the Risks of Carbon Monoxide in Your Home

Anderson Mechanical Associates LLC wants to keep you and your family safe from carbon monoxide poisoning and other adverse effects exposure to carbon monoxide can have. Carbon monoxide is especially hazardous to children and the elderly, especially those with respiratory issues. 

See how carbon monoxide can affect you at various levels of concentration and exposure lengths. Any questions? Give us a call today!

Low-Level Carbon Monoxide Exposure

• 1-4 ppm - Normal levels in human tissues produced by the body
• 3-7 ppm - 14% increase in the rate of admission in hospitals of non-elderly for asthma (Sheppard-1999)
• 5-6 ppm - Significant risk of low birth rate if exposed during the last trimester (Ritz and Yu-1999)
• 5 ppm - First visual display on NSI 3000 Low-Level CO Monitor
• 9 ppm - ASHRAE standard for allowable spillage from vented appliances, indoors, for eight hours' exposure daily. EPA standard for outdoors for eight hours and a maximum of three times per year (Clean Air Act)
• 10 ppm - Outdoor level of CO found associated with a significant increase in heart disease deaths and hospital admissions for congestive heart failure (JAMA, Penny) First ambient level occupants should be notified -NCI Protocol
• 15-20 ppm - First level World Health Organization lists as causing impaired performance, decrease in exercise time and vigilance First Alarm level for NSI 3000 Low-Level CO Monitor-5 minutes
• 25 ppm - Maximum allowable in a parking garage (International Mechanical Code)
• 27 ppm - 21% increase in cardio-respiratory complaints (Kurt-1978)
• 30 ppm - The earliest onset of exercise-induced angina (World Health Organization) first visual display on UL2034 approved CO Alarm-Must not alarm before 30 days
• 35 ppm - U.S. NIOSH recommended eight-hour maximum workplace exposure EPA standard for outdoors for one hour and a maximum of one time per year. Level many fire departments wear breathing apparatus before entering second ambient level occupants should be notified and space ventilated Second Alarm level for NSI 3000 Low-Level Monitor-5 minutes

* ppm = parts per million, parts of pollutant per million parts of air

High-Level Carbon Monoxide Exposure

• 50 ppm - U.S. OSHA recommended eight-hour maximum workplace exposure Maximum NCI level for unvented appliances
• 70 ppm - First Alarm level of UL2034 approved CO Alarms- 2-4 hours Third Alarm level for NSI 3000 – 30 seconds NSI 3000 Low-Level Monitor cannot be silenced by reset button
• 100 ppm - Maximum NCI CO level during run cycle in all vented appliances (stable) Maximum NCI CO for all oil appliances
• 200 ppm - First listed level(established in 1930) healthy adults will have symptoms-headaches, nausea NIOSH and OSHA recommend evacuation of workplace Maximum “Air Free” CO for vented water heater and unvented heaters (ANSI Z21) UL approved alarms must sound between 30 – 60 minutes (NSI 3000 – 30 seconds)
• 400 ppm - Healthy adults will have headaches within 1-2 hours. Life-threatening after three hours. Maximum “air-free” CO in all vented heating appliances (ANSI Z21) Maximum EPA levels for industrial flue exhaust UL Alarms must alarm within 15 minutes (NSI 3000 – 30 seconds) Maximum recommended light-off CO for all appliances – NCI (except oil)
• 800 ppm - Healthy adults will have nausea, dizziness, and convulsions within 45 minutes. Unconscious within two hours then death (established in 1930). Maximum “air-free” CO for unvented gas ovens (ANSI Z21)
• 800 ppm+ - Death in less than one hour
• 2,000 ppm - EPA standard for new vehicle emissions
• 3,000 ppm+ - Typical emissions from propane lift trucks, gasoline-powered tools, etc. Death in less than 30 minutes.