Whats the harm in leaving a gas stove top (open flame) on ?

carbon monoxide detectors review image

Dusty

Ive been reviewing many answers on yahoo answers about this topic and they all seem to go back and forth. So im asking a more specific question in search of VERY specific answers..

Our electricity has been out for about 48 hours now and my duplex is getting pretty cold. Ive got no heat, no electricity, only gas, which allows me to still have hot showers as the hot water heater works only on gas alone with a non-electrical thermostat.

Being the house is so cold, Ive tried to light the gas oven and that didn't work. I also tried to light the gas stove top and that DID work. I used an electric fire starter to light the stove top because the electric pilot light starter doesn't work due to the power outage. Over the last two days that the power has been out, ive been able to cook lunch and dinner on the stove top as long as i light it myself. Ive found nothing wrong with doing that and the stove stays lit just fine. The flame also looks normal like it should the whole time im cooking at any gas setting I want.

Well, I started to think, whats the difference in leaving the stove top on with the flame going or having a gas fireplace running ? Flame is flame and heat is heat so whats the difference ? is what i was thinking.. So I left the stove top flame on and I went to the hardware store. As long as its burning, whats the deal ?

Well I came home last night from the hardware store and my roommate was home.. and earlier this morning, he rips my ass for leaving the stove top on and leaving the house.. He claims that I could have blown the house up, or killed him and his girlfriend and he was really upset. He claimed that I could have killed them both by carbon monoxide poisoning. I apologized and told him im sorry. I also said I wont ever do it again for his sake to avoid further conflict but, Ive spent the whole day thinking about it and I cant see the severity of the issue any differently.

We have a gas water heater in the basement of this duplex with a flame the size of large dinner plate underneath it that stays lit and running on high for hours after we take long hot showers. And that's not dangerous or been a threat to him or us at all. Same thing, its just under a tank full of water rather than on top of a stove.

Growing up with my mom, we use to turn the stove on and the stove door cracked open all day long for heat. And that was a gas stove with a flame on the inside bottom of it too ! She also had a gas fireplace installed later and we have left that thing running all night before for heat and it hasn't been a threat or danger to use.. A lot of people all over the world use gas fireplaces. Ive heard a bunch of people talk about cracking the windows or doors to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning ? Well why in the world would you crack a door or window when its 10 below outside and your purpose is to get heat anyways ? sounds stupid to me.

He even argued, well what if something would have fell on the stove or flame ? then the whole house would have burnt down.. And well, yeah that's true, but, there's nothing around the stove that could have ever "fell" on top of it anyway to even become ignited.

So Im not asking for opinions from Worried Willeys, Negative Nancies, or Safety Suzies. I simply want to know the facts.. Also... if carbon monoxide is produced from from the combustion of natural gas such as with a stove top, which i could understand. I would like to get an idea of how much.. Like.. if You leave two stove tops on and burning at medium strength for say an hour... Is that really going to do any harm ? or pose any threat ? People all around the world cook for longer and harder intervals than that on holidays and often a few times a week ! And gas fireplaces stay burning way longer than that as well. So is my roomate blowing this out of proportion ?

Answer
You shouldn't have to worry about carbon monoxide poisoning unless you are in a tiny air-tight room. A detector is a good idea though. As far as blowing anything up ...... no. It aint gonna happen unless you fill the house with gas first and then light it. ....

Fire/Carbon Monoxide Alarm?

TorontoBlu

Went of at 530am today everyone was asleep, only on second floor I believe, went for about 20secs then off on for another 30ish, dad left to take alarm to home depot or something and took the alarm for inspection m. I'm way to scared and skecthed out to go back to sleep, we've got 2n1 Co and Fire alarms on all 3 floors we all sleep on the third, family of 5 just died in Whitehorse, Yukon cause of CO and I'm pretty freaked out. Who do we call, 911, 311(city) or what cause I kind of want an inspection to be done of my house etc. Not feeling any if the symptoms of Co poisining. Any general assistance/help/tops would be greatly appreciated

Answer
If a CM alarm goes off you should take it seriously, because that's what it's there for. Carbon Monoxide is invisible and undetectable by humans. Only when you start getting headaches and/or sleepy may you realize things are not right, then it may be too late of you drop off to sleep and then it's lethal.

Check all your gas appliances. If the flame is yellow or orange you have a problem. Check your fume outlets too, for blockages. Next time, open all the windows and call a qualified plumber or gas inspector. Ideally, you should have a detector changed according to the recommended life of it (3 to 5 years).

Get your family to work out an emergency escape plan in the event of fire and ensure that everyone knows the drill if the CM alarm goes off (windows open/get fresh air through the building/everyone awake/exit the house if need be/call a professional).

I guess your fire department are the best ones to give you real safety advice. They should be happy to come round and give you a safety review. I'm in the uk and our fire dept does that all the time, on request.

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