The German Medical Journal reports 3,700 cases of poisoning with carbon monoxide (CO) per year, around ten percent of which end in death. Flue gases from poorly burning stoves or gas water heaters are still at the top of the polluter. But also in pellet storage rooms or shisha bars carbon monoxide accumulates in a dangerous concentration. When the urgently needed oxygen supply has to be done, a small electronic device can indicate. However, it is advisable to study the technical data carefully before buying CO detectors. Because the cheaper the device, the longer the response time. With high-quality devices, the response time is less than a minute; with low-cost solutions, it can take up to ten minutes before the warning is given. For users also to note: CO warning detectors must be additionally installed, because the “normal” smoke detector can not fulfill this function.
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