Are Ventless Gas Heaters Safe for a Baby?

Ventless gas heaters, which may release carbon monoxide, are likely not safe to use around babies. Exposure to carbon monoxide can cause headaches, disorientation and other ailments and even death. There are indications of a possible link between carbon monoxide exposure and sudden infant death syndrome.

Identification

Vent-free gas heaters--there are several varieties --"operate without a chimney, flue or vent," according to the Vent-Free Gas Products Alliance's Web site, Ventfree.org. St. Paul Mercantile, one online store that sells them, calls vent-free heaters "inexpensive to buy, easy to install, and 99.9 percent efficient."

Expert Insight

Arnie Katz, director of training and senior building science consultant for Advanced Energy, writes that in many homes that use such units, he and his colleagues detected low levels of carbon monoxide. Some homes had high levels. Katz also cautions that using a typical vent-free gas heater for a few hours will pump "more moisture into the air than we do when we take a shower," which could result in mold within the home.

Considerations

According to a 2002 independent research study the Vent-Free Gas Products Alliance commissioned, however, in most U.S. homes using them, vent-free gas heating products "do not generate enough water vapor to raise indoor humidity levels high enough to foster mold growth."

Possible Prevention/Solution

Another study the Alliance commissioned in 1996 found that “vent-free gas heating products performed well within nationally recognized guidelines for indoor air quality." According to the Alliance, vent-free appliances come with an "automatic safety shut-off device" that turns off the gas if the appliance malfunctions.

Carbon Monoxide

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, carbon monoxide, which is odorless and colorless, can cause "headaches, dizziness, disorientation, nausea and fatigue." Each year in the United States, the U.S. Fire Administration says, more than 500 people die from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning and another 15,000 go to hospitals for treatment.

Dangers to Infants

Infants and children are at greater risk of carbon monoxide poisoning "because they have elevated metabolic rates and the gas accumulates in their bodies faster than in adults," according to Southeast Missouri Hospital. Some believe there is a link between carbon monoxide exposure and sudden infant death syndrome. "A correlation has been noted between the incidence of CO poisonings, CO related deaths and SIDS deaths in the winter," writes David G. Penney, PhD, director of surgical research at Providence Hospital in Southfield, Mich.

References

• Advanced Energy
• U.S. Fire Administration
• Carbon Monoxide Headquarters