You buy a smart thermostat to keep your home comfortable and energy‑efficient. You trust the app, the automation, and the promise that technology will make your life easier.
Then someone in your family starts feeling sick – headaches, dizziness, nausea. You learn later that your heating system filled the house with carbon monoxide, the “silent killer,” while your smart thermostat controlled when the furnace turned on and off.
If this sounds close to what happened to you in Houston, Pasadena, or anywhere in Texas, you are not alone. Carbon monoxide poisoning sends about 21,000 people to emergency rooms and kills roughly 450 people every year in the United States, and most exposures happen in homes.
In this article, we’ll talk about how smart thermostat malfunctions can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning, who may be legally responsible, how Texas law treats these “Internet of Things” (IoT) cases, and what steps you can take right now to protect your family and your claim.
How a Smart Thermostat Can Lead to Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
A smart thermostat usually ties into:
- Your gas furnace or boiler
- Venting and exhaust systems
- Sometimes other smart home or security systems
When everything works, you get comfort and efficiency. When something fails, the result can be deadly.
Smart thermostat or IoT‑related problems can include:
- Software glitches or bad updates that cause the furnace to run longer than it should
- Incorrect wiring or installation so the thermostat does not properly shut the system off
- Communication failures between the thermostat and furnace control board
- Misreading of temperature or system status that leads to constant cycling
- Integrations with other devices (for example, fans or dampers) that disrupt proper ventilation
At the same time, carbon monoxide builds up when fuel‑burning appliances do not burn cleanly or vent properly. Texas health officials warn that furnaces, generators, gas heaters and similar devices can quickly fill enclosed spaces with carbon monoxide if they are not used or vented correctly.
When you combine a malfunctioning furnace or vent with a smart device that is supposed to control it, you can have a dangerous situation:
- The furnace may keep running despite unsafe conditions.
- Safety shut‑offs may not work as designed.
- You may rely on a phone app that shows “everything is normal” while the house fills with gas.
That is not just a technical problem. It is often a legal problem.
Who May Be Liable for Smart Thermostat Carbon Monoxide Incidents?
Every case is fact‑specific, but in many IoT‑related carbon monoxide cases, we look closely at several potential defendants.
1. Device manufacturers and software developers
Under Texas products liability law, a manufacturer can be held responsible if a product is defectively designed, defectively made, or sold without adequate warnings. Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 82 defines a “products liability action” as any claim against a manufacturer or seller for injuries caused by a defective product.
With a smart thermostat or other IoT device, this may include:
- A design defect in the hardware or software
- A manufacturing defect affecting a particular batch of units
- Failure to warn that the thermostat should not control certain types of fuel‑burning equipment
- Failure to explain what happens if Wi‑Fi, sensors, or integrations fail
If the device had a safer alternative design that reasonably could have prevented your injuries, Texas law allows you to pursue a design defect claim.
2. HVAC installers, landlords, and property owners
Often, a smart thermostat is only one part of the story. We may also see negligence by:
- HVAC companies that wired or configured the thermostat incorrectly
- Landlords or property managers who installed devices without proper venting or failed to service the heating system
- Apartment complexes and hotels that ignored complaints about headaches or strange furnace behavior
These are often premises liability or general negligence claims. In Texas, property owners who invite people onto their premises have a duty of care to keep the property reasonably safe and to address dangerous conditions like carbon monoxide leaks.
3. Monitoring and service companies
Some smart thermostats and home systems come with:
- 24/7 monitoring
- Automatic alerts to a central station
- Service contracts promising regular checks or remote troubleshooting
If a monitoring company receives repeated alerts or error codes and does nothing meaningful, or if they give you bad instructions that make the danger worse, they can share responsibility.
Texas Law on Smart Devices, Carbon Monoxide, and Your Time Limits
When we evaluate an IoT carbon monoxide case in Texas, we look at several important statutes.
Statute of limitations
For most personal injury and wrongful death claims in Texas – including carbon monoxide cases – you generally have two years from the date of the injury or death to file a lawsuit. This comes from Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003.
Waiting too long can completely bar your claim, no matter how strong the facts are. That is one reason we urge families to talk with a lawyer as soon as they are safe and stable.
Product liability “statute of repose”
Texas also has a 15‑year outside deadline for most product liability claims under § 16.012. In plain English, that means many claims against a product manufacturer must be filed within 15 years of the date the product was first sold, even if you did not discover the defect right away.
For smart thermostats and other IoT devices, that clock can matter if the unit is older.
Comparative negligence – the 51% rule
Texas follows a modified comparative negligence rule. Under § 33.001, if a jury finds you more than 50% at fault, you cannot recover any damages.
In carbon monoxide cases, insurance companies sometimes argue that:
- You ignored beeping CO detectors.
- The alarms were turned off.
- You failed to have the furnace serviced.
Our job is to push back with evidence about the true causes – including hidden software defects, bad designs, or unsafe property conditions – and to keep your share of fault, if any, well below that 51% line.
What Compensation Can You Seek After Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?
Carbon monoxide poisoning can cause both short‑term and lifelong harm. Depending on your case, we may pursue:
Economic damages
- Past and future medical bills
- Rehabilitation and therapy, including cognitive rehab
- Lost wages and loss of future earning capacity
- Home health care and support services
- Property damage related to the incident
Non‑economic damages
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish and emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium (impact on your marriage or family relationships)
In tragic cases where a loved one dies from carbon monoxide poisoning, Texas wrongful death and survival claims allow families to seek additional damages for lost financial support, companionship, and more.
What To Do After a Smart Thermostat–Related Carbon Monoxide Event
Once everyone is safe and has received medical care, the steps you take can strongly affect your claim.
1. Preserve the thermostat and equipment
- Do not throw away the thermostat or furnace components.
- Do not let an installer, landlord, or utility company remove or “swap out” the device without first speaking to an attorney.
- Take clear photos of the thermostat, furnace, venting, and any error codes or app messages.
2. Get and keep documentation
- Hospital and doctor records showing carbon monoxide poisoning
- Fire department or gas company reports
- Any emails, texts, or app notifications from the device maker or monitoring service
- Receipts for the thermostat, installation, and service visits
3. Avoid common mistakes
- Do not give recorded statements to insurance adjusters before you understand your rights.
- Do not sign broad release forms that allow companies to dig through your entire medical history.
- Limit what you post on social media about the incident or your health.
4. Talk with a lawyer who understands both products liability and premises cases
These IoT carbon monoxide cases often involve multiple defendants, complex technical evidence, and aggressive insurance companies. Having a legal team that can coordinate experts in software, HVAC, and medicine makes a real difference.
