The lifestyle of the building's occupants and the amount of heating and ventilation can contribute to this type of poisoning, caused by blocked chimneys and flues, lack of serving and safety checks on the units etc, and newer building may have more airtight construction and may be better insulated, which make it easier for carbon monoxide to accumulate.

Carbon monoxide is life-threatening to humans and other aerobic forms of life, as inhaling even relatively small amounts of it can lead to neurological damage, and possibly death.

When carbon monoxide is inhaled, it takes the place of oxygen in hemoglobin, the red blood pigment that normally carries oxygen to all parts of the body. Because carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin more strongly than oxygen, its effects are cumulative and long-lasting, causing oxygen starvation throughout the body. i.e. the affinity between carbon monoxide and hemoglobin is 240 times stronger than the affinity between hemoglobin and oxygen.

The body gradually dies, and younger children with less body mass are affected before mature people, which was the case in Cyprus. What made this worse was the fact that a previous Holiday maker's family suffered Carbon Monoxide poisoning in the same property, and nothing was done to check the property and rectify the faulty gas water heater.

Carbon Monoxide is also produced by faulty coal, wood and oil fires / boilers, as it is a product of combustion.  Some Chartered Building Surveyors recommend that purchasers have “an electrical chimney sweep” to sweep and check for obstructions in flues, providing a Certificate that they are clear and in good order, and that Corgi approved Service Engineers have serviced the heating unit. If the service record is over 9 months ago, the Vendor should be asked to ensure a service is carried out and the unit is in good working order and fit for purpose.

On a more “psychic” level, “ haunted houses” have been found to have faulty heating units, partial blocked flue caused the fumes to enter the rooms, and the occupiers were said to have heard noises, footsteps etc but were actually hallucinating due to the effects of carbon monoxide. It was a famous Court case many years ago. 

Carbon monoxide detectors are available, and all houses should have one, to protect the health and safety of the occupants. A MORI poll suggested that 60 percent of the population have no idea that a chimney should be swept and checked.

So if you are going on holiday to a Holiday flat, apartment or villa abroad, how about taking a Detector with you – the benefits could outweigh the cost, as they say, and give you peace of mind.  

http://www.carbonmonoxidekills.com/

 Quoin                                      [pseudonym of a Chartered Building Surveyor]