NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
| Office of Information and Public Affairs |
Washington, DC 20207 |
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
| October 10, 2000 |
Contact: Ken Giles |
| Release #01-008 |
(301) 504-0580 Ext. 1184 |
|
CPSC Urges Seasonal Furnace Inspection, Replacement of Recalled Vent Pipes
to Prevent CO Poisonings
WASHINGTON, D.C. - As the home heating season approaches, the U.S. Consumer
Product Safety Commission (CPSC) urges consumers to have a professional
inspection of all fuel-burning appliances -- including furnaces, stoves,
fireplaces, clothes dryers and space heaters -- to detect deadly carbon monoxide
(CO) leaks.
These appliances burn fuels -- typically gas, both natural and liquefied
petroleum; kerosene; oil; coal; and wood. Under certain conditions, these
appliances can produce deadly CO. However, with proper installation and
maintenance, they are safe to use.
CO is a colorless, odorless gas produced by burning any fuel. The initial
symptoms of CO poisoning are similar to flu, and include headache, fatigue,
shortness of breath, nausea and dizziness. Exposure to high levels of CO can
cause death.
"CO poisoning associated with using fuel-burning appliances kills more than
200 people each year and sends more than 10,000 to hospital emergency rooms for
treatment," said CPSC Chairman Ann Brown.
CPSC recommends that the yearly professional inspection include checking
chimneys, flues and vents for leakage and blockage by creosote and debris.
Leakage through cracks or holes could cause black stains on the outside of the
chimney or flue. These stains can mean that pollutants are leaking into the
house. In addition, have all vents to furnaces, water heaters, boilers and other
fuel-burning appliances checked to make sure they are not loose or disconnected.
Make sure your appliances are inspected for adequate ventilation. A supply of
fresh air is important to help carry pollutants up the chimney, stovepipe or
flue, and is necessary for the complete combustion of any fuel. Never block
ventilation air openings.
CPSC recommends that every home should have at least one CO alarm that meets the
requirements of the most recent Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 2034 standard or
International Approval Services 6-96 standard.
Recall Program to Replace Vent Pipes
Consumers should also have the vent pipes on their heating systems inspected. In
1998, virtually the entire furnace and boiler industry together with the
manufacturers of high-temperature plastic vent (HTPV) pipes joined with CPSC to
announce a vent pipe recall program. The program's purpose is to replace, free
of charge, an estimated 250,000 HTPV pipe systems attached to gas or propane
furnaces or boilers in consumers' homes. The HTPV pipes could crack or separate
at the joints and leak CO.
Consumers can check the vent pipes attached to their natural gas or propane
furnaces or boilers to determine if they are part of this recall. They can be
identified as follows: the vent pipes are plastic; the vent pipes are colored
gray or black; and the vent pipes have the names "Plexvent®," "Plexvent®II"
or "Ultravent®" stamped on the vent pipe or printed on stickers
placed on pieces used to connect the vent pipes together. Consumers should also
check the location of these vent pipes. For furnaces, only HTPV systems that
have vent pipes that go through the sidewalls of structures (horizontal systems)
are subject to this program. For boilers, all HTPV systems are subject to this
program. Other plastic vent pipes, such as white PVC or CPVC, are not involved
in this program.
After checking the vent pipes, consumers should call the recall hotline
toll-free at (800) 758-3688, between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. ET, seven days a week,
to verify that their appliance venting systems are subject to this program.
Consumers with eligible systems will receive new, professionally installed
venting systems free of charge. Additionally, consumers who already have
replaced their HTPV pipe systems may be eligible for reimbursement for some or
all of the replacement costs.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission protects the public
from unreasonable risks of injury or death from 15,000 types of consumer
products under the agency's jurisdiction. To report a dangerous product or a
product-related injury, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's
teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit CPSC's web site at http://www.cpsc.gov/talk.html.
For information on CPSC's fax-on-demand service, call the above numbers or visit
the web site at http://cpsc.gov/about/who.html. To order a press release through
fax-on-demand, call (301) 504-0051 from the handset of your fax machine and
enter the release number. Consumers can obtain this release and recall
information at CPSC's web site at http://www.cpsc.gov.
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