TheWife
Okay...I know this was reeeallyyyy stupid, but at the time neither I nor my husband thought about it. We put a couple of charcoal in our oven to cook some ribs this afternoon. About 20 minutes ago the carbon monoxide detector went off. We threw out the coals and opened the doors, we also have a huge fan blowing air toward the door. The detector stopped beeping but I'm still worried, I don't know much about carbon monoxide. I feel kinda dizzy and short of breath but I think it may just be from anxiety because it didn't start until after the detector went off. How dangerous can this be? Since the coals are outside do you think the monoxide will go out quickly now? Should we go get checked out? Thanks a bunch...and yes again, I know it was stupid. We won't be doing it again.
Ultimately I know it can kill you...but just in severe cases right?
Answer
Carbon Monoxide is dangerous because your red blood cells have a 200 time greater affinity for it than oxygen, and once it latches on, it takes a significant period of time for it to let go. Your red blood cells are supposed to be transporting oxygen TO your organs, and carbon DIoxide from your organs to exhaled from the lungs.It is not TOXIC. It simply takes up space on your blood cells that should be occupied by oxygen. Being pregnant doesn't change that. In fact, thanks to your pregnancy, you have more of those red blood cells circulating through your veins. If you aren't adversely affected by the CO, your fetus would not be. The danger is that CO poisoning is cumulative. If this were from a leak in your car or home for example, and you were exposed for several hours every day to and from work, the effects would rapidly add up. Since you have quickly identified the source, and it won't recur, your exposure is limited. In fact, as a medic, working in a fire station, I'm exposed to more CO on a regular basis, IN the firehouse, than you probably were tonite thanks to your CO detector.
Now, carbon monoxide detectors are VERY SENSITIVE by design. They alarm at levels that are a minute portion of what could cause a problem. If you immediately opened the windows and are ventilating the home, from the identifiable source which has a definate ending, the likelihood you have received a dose sufficent to seriously sicken you is low. If you are still concerned, you can call your local Fire Station and ask to have them come measure your exposure level. Every engine should have a digital readout CO detector. If you don't have the # to them, look for the non-emergency number for your local 911 call center in the phonebook.
Signs and symptoms of CO poisoning don't get into shortness of breath and dizziness until you have high levels which isn't likely given the scenario you outline. Early symptoms include nausea, headache, disorientation (confusion) and unexplained sleepiness (not to be confused with the kind that comes on from a full belly of ribs). If you start having these symptoms, you should seek medical treatment immediately because unconciousness generally precedes shortness of breath which is why people die. They just get sleepy and become disoriented because their brain isn't getting the oxygen it needs. While they are unconcious, they stop breathing.
Seems like you've done the exactly right thing so far and I would leave the windows open with the fan on as long as it's safe to do so until you go to bed. Carbon Monoxide dissipates quickly in the face of ventilation. This is why you can only be poisoned in enclosed spaces. IMPORTANT: CO dectectors are one time use, not like smoke detectors. You need to go get a new one asap. It may work again, but unless it specifically states it's for multiple uses, you should replace it. There are many reliable low-cost detectors available.
I applaud you for having one to begin with! Not everyone does. It saved your life! Without it you wouldn't have known you had made that mistake! Good luck. You should be fine. Just keep yourselves under observation for the next day or so and get a new sensor. And if you can't sleep til you know for sure, call out the the local fire company for a measure.
Carbon Monoxide is dangerous because your red blood cells have a 200 time greater affinity for it than oxygen, and once it latches on, it takes a significant period of time for it to let go. Your red blood cells are supposed to be transporting oxygen TO your organs, and carbon DIoxide from your organs to exhaled from the lungs.It is not TOXIC. It simply takes up space on your blood cells that should be occupied by oxygen. Being pregnant doesn't change that. In fact, thanks to your pregnancy, you have more of those red blood cells circulating through your veins. If you aren't adversely affected by the CO, your fetus would not be. The danger is that CO poisoning is cumulative. If this were from a leak in your car or home for example, and you were exposed for several hours every day to and from work, the effects would rapidly add up. Since you have quickly identified the source, and it won't recur, your exposure is limited. In fact, as a medic, working in a fire station, I'm exposed to more CO on a regular basis, IN the firehouse, than you probably were tonite thanks to your CO detector.
Now, carbon monoxide detectors are VERY SENSITIVE by design. They alarm at levels that are a minute portion of what could cause a problem. If you immediately opened the windows and are ventilating the home, from the identifiable source which has a definate ending, the likelihood you have received a dose sufficent to seriously sicken you is low. If you are still concerned, you can call your local Fire Station and ask to have them come measure your exposure level. Every engine should have a digital readout CO detector. If you don't have the # to them, look for the non-emergency number for your local 911 call center in the phonebook.
Signs and symptoms of CO poisoning don't get into shortness of breath and dizziness until you have high levels which isn't likely given the scenario you outline. Early symptoms include nausea, headache, disorientation (confusion) and unexplained sleepiness (not to be confused with the kind that comes on from a full belly of ribs). If you start having these symptoms, you should seek medical treatment immediately because unconciousness generally precedes shortness of breath which is why people die. They just get sleepy and become disoriented because their brain isn't getting the oxygen it needs. While they are unconcious, they stop breathing.
Seems like you've done the exactly right thing so far and I would leave the windows open with the fan on as long as it's safe to do so until you go to bed. Carbon Monoxide dissipates quickly in the face of ventilation. This is why you can only be poisoned in enclosed spaces. IMPORTANT: CO dectectors are one time use, not like smoke detectors. You need to go get a new one asap. It may work again, but unless it specifically states it's for multiple uses, you should replace it. There are many reliable low-cost detectors available.
I applaud you for having one to begin with! Not everyone does. It saved your life! Without it you wouldn't have known you had made that mistake! Good luck. You should be fine. Just keep yourselves under observation for the next day or so and get a new sensor. And if you can't sleep til you know for sure, call out the the local fire company for a measure.
My carbon monoxide detector keep going off?
kevin
So this morning I woke up and it started to beep. I tried to switch batteries and now it beeps once every twelve or so seconds.
Answer
Periodic beeping or chirping, rather than a continuous alarm, is indicative of a problem with the detector itself rather than a carbon monoxide problem. Assuming the battery you put in was good and properly connected, then it could be the detector has reached its end of life (they're only good for 5-7 years, depending on make and model).
Periodic beeping or chirping, rather than a continuous alarm, is indicative of a problem with the detector itself rather than a carbon monoxide problem. Assuming the battery you put in was good and properly connected, then it could be the detector has reached its end of life (they're only good for 5-7 years, depending on make and model).
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