According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America, several hundred people die each year from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. Thousands of others are diagnosed with ailments from exposure to CO. The hazard is becoming prevalent enough that cities and counties are beginning to require the installation of CO detectors in new construction. CO is a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas that is produced by incomplete combustion. The most common source comes from faulty stoves and heating systems, cigarettes, wood burning stoves, kerosene heaters, improperly vented water heaters, and poorly maintained chimney flues.

An article in American Family Physician states that symptoms of CO poisoning are often mistaken for a simple viral illness. In some patients, symptoms may develop anywhere from three days to eight months after exposure.

With a Per Mar monitored system, the alarm will sound, the Per Mar Central Station Dispatchers will call the residence and may notify the appropriate emergency response center.