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My Sensorcon Inspector alerted on climb out on my second sortie today on my way home from dropping off my father. I attach it to my shoulder belt, and it usually reads between 0 and 15 during taxi and takeoff/climb. The Inspector is programmed to alert at 30PPM. It was reading 38PPM when I looked at it. As I continued the climb in IMC, the reading climbed through 50+PPM while I tried to figure out where it could be coming from. Over the next minute as I looked at all of my vents, heat, etc the reading had risen to 98PPM and was still climbing. About that time I was on top in VMC. I declared an emergency and made a turn back to my departure field, keeping the power up to stay on top. The next time I looked at the sensor it was over 200PPM and climbing. The sensor indications started to drop after I pulled the throttle to 15"MAP. I slowed down, and started back down through the clag with a clearance from Memphis Center down to what I thought was below their MVA for the sector I was in. But it got me below the 1,100' ceiling without having to shoot an instrument approach, and I was able to set up for a visual approach and uneventful landing. I called the number on my Sporty's Breakdown Assistance card and have arrangements made to get a professional once-over first thing in the morning to try to find out what happened. I don't know how high the CO concentration would have gone had I kept the power in, but without the Sensorcon I possibly wouldn't have known I had a problem until it was getting too late. I'm having a drink with my father tonight, instead of my wife, to celebrate the fact that I will live another day. If you don't have one of these things, get one. Cheers, Rick