Carbon Monoxide awareness 2026

Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs when you breathe in carbon monoxide gas, which prevents your blood from carrying oxygen to your brain, heart and organs. It can cause permanent organ damage and death. Because carbon monoxide has no smell, colour or taste, most people have no idea they are being poisoned until symptoms become severe. It is known as the silent killer for this reason. Each year in the UK, over 200 people are hospitalised with suspected CO poisoning and around 60 die.

The most common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are headache, dizziness, nausea, breathlessness, confusion and tiredness. Symptoms are frequently mistaken for flu, food poisoning or a stomach bug because they are non-specific and develop gradually. A key indicator that distinguishes CO poisoning from illness is that symptoms improve when you leave the property and return when you go back inside. If multiple people in the same property develop similar symptoms at the same time, treat it as a CO emergency and get out immediately.

The warning signs of carbon monoxide poisoning include headache, nausea, dizziness and confusion - particularly if they affect everyone in the property at the same time and improve when you go outside. Environmental warning signs include a yellow or orange flame on a gas appliance instead of blue, black or sooty marks around an appliance, a pilot light that keeps going out and excessive condensation on windows. If you notice any of these in your home or holiday accommodation, open windows, get out and seek immediate medical advice.

Carbon monoxide poisoning is caused by breathing in CO gas produced by fuel-burning appliances that are faulty, poorly maintained or used without adequate ventilation. The most common causes are gas boilers, gas cookers, wood burning stoves, open fires and portable generators that are not working correctly. Blocked flues or chimneys that prevent CO from escaping are also a significant cause. In holiday accommodation abroad, poorly serviced gas appliances and lack of CO detectors make the risk significantly higher.

Carbon monoxide is produced in a house by any appliance that burns fuel. The most common sources are gas boilers, gas hobs and cookers, gas fires, wood burning stoves, open fires and oil-fired boilers. CO is produced when these appliances burn fuel inefficiently due to a fault, poor installation or lack of maintenance. Charcoal barbecues are also a significant source and should never be used indoors or in enclosed spaces such as a garage, tent or caravan.

Devices that can leak carbon monoxide include gas boilers, gas cookers and hobs, gas fires and heaters, wood burning stoves, open fireplaces, oil-fired boilers, portable generators and petrol-powered equipment. Any appliance that burns gas, oil, wood, coal, petrol or charcoal is a potential source of carbon monoxide if it develops a fault, is poorly installed or is not regularly serviced. In holiday accommodation, gas hobs and older heating systems are the most common sources.

You cannot tell if carbon monoxide is in your home without a CO alarm. Carbon monoxide is completely invisible, odourless and tasteless - your senses give you no warning whatsoever. The only reliable way to detect CO in any property is with a working, certified carbon monoxide alarm. If you or anyone in your household develops symptoms such as headache, dizziness or nausea that ease when you go outside, this may indicate CO is present. Get out immediately and call the Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999.

Everyone is at risk from high concentrations of carbon monoxide, but some groups are more vulnerable at lower levels. Babies and young children, pregnant women, elderly people and those with heart or lung conditions, anaemia or breathing difficulties are affected more quickly and more severely. Pets are also highly sensitive to CO and may show symptoms before humans. Families staying in holiday accommodation abroad - where CO alarms may not be fitted - face a higher risk, particularly while sleeping when symptoms cannot be noticed.

es. Taking a portable carbon monoxide detector on holiday is one of the most important safety precautions a family can take. Holiday accommodation abroad - including villas, apartments and rental properties - is not subject to the same CO alarm regulations as the UK. Many countries have no legal requirement for CO detectors in rental properties, meaning the accommodation you have booked may have gas appliances and no alarm at all. A portable CO alarm is small enough to fit in any bag, requires no installation and works in any country without adaptors. Place it in your bedroom before you sleep. It could save your family's life.

In many countries there is no legal requirement for hotels or holiday accommodation to install carbon monoxide detectors. Regulations vary significantly across Europe and beyond - what is legally required in the UK is not necessarily required in popular holiday destinations including Spain, Greece, Portugal, Turkey and many others. Even well-reviewed, high-end properties can have gas appliances with no CO detector fitted. You cannot rely on your accommodation provider to protect you. Taking a portable CO alarm is the only way to guarantee you have one.

Recovery from carbon monoxide poisoning depends on the level and duration of exposure. The immediate treatment is getting into fresh air and, in serious cases, receiving high-flow oxygen administered by medical professionals in hospital. Anyone suspected of CO poisoning should seek medical attention immediately even if symptoms seem mild, as the effects on the brain and heart can be delayed. Some people recover fully with prompt treatment. Others experience lasting effects including fatigue, memory problems, difficulty concentrating and mood changes. Early treatment significantly improves outcomes which is why getting out of the property and calling for medical help immediately is critical.