carbon monoxide--FD is here what does this mean?

carbon monoxide detector 9 ppm image

JMITW

22 parts per million carbon monoxide?
the FD is at by building--they say there are 22 parts per million CO in the basement--is that normal?

someones detector went off

know they are saying 30--but aren't evacuating--only 1 apartment affected so far
it doesn'gt necessarily have to be a heater-

i wanst to know teh significance of teh amount of CO
like is 30 still considered a low reading--or a very high reading
the issue wasn't resolvedin teh basement--if was left overnight until maintenace could address it the next day--
the area will the 1000 reading was left alone over night
i found out after wardsa about the basement with the 1000 reading

Answer
In my area the natural gas company treats it as an emergency and responds right away with any reading 9 ppm or higher.

I would not let my family stay in any area with any CO reading.

The Center for Disease Control site has info on CO.

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Question about where my 18 month old sleeps?

carbon monoxide detector upstairs or downstairs image

skg20051

Okay we just moved into a house and Me and my husbands bedroom is upstairs and my sons is downstairs, I am scared to leave him downstairs, I mean I have a baby monitor, am I being ridiculous? He sleeps in our bedroom for now. My husband says he's ok sleeping down there. Can anyone give me advice on what to do.
My mother in law also sleeps downstairs, but with her door shut, and she leaves early to go to work, so he would be downstairs by himself for a few hours in the morning-

Answer
I don't think I could sleep away from him--but that's just me. If it is a must then invest in a video monitor and make sure there is a fire alarm and carbon monoxide detector in his room.

Is it normal for heating unit to emit gas odor? I have central air and a less than 10 year old heating system.?

jay

It emitted a strong (gas-like) odor a while ago. I've turned it off and called hvac company to come check it (probably will be a few days before they come). i have two units, one upstairs and one downstairs. carbon monoxide alarms have not gone off (though i know carbon monoxide is odorless).
Polar Bear, easy on jumping to conclusions, fellow. The house, and therefore the unit are almost ten years old. I've only lived here 6 months. I had a check up done in October, 3 months ago (before i started using the system), and everything was fine. I have been using the system regularly at nights, and sometimes mornings. This morning was first time I smelled what seemed like gas. I will call gas company as well. meanhwile, i've already requested service/check up from hvac company.
Polar Bear, easy on jumping to conclusions, fellow. The house, and therefore the unit are almost ten years old. I've only lived here 6 months. I had a check up done in October, 3 months ago (before i started using the system), and everything was fine. I have been using the system regularly at nights, and sometimes mornings. This morning was first time I smelled what seemed like gas. I will call gas company as well. meanhwile, i've already requested service/check up from hvac company.

Answer
It is not normal for heating unit to emit gas odour, it is dangerous to the point that an explosion could occur. Call your gas company and tell then, they mat send a technician over right away. Do not delay as you may have a very dangerous situation. CO detectors will not detect the gas.

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What is a high number on a carbon monoxide detector?

carbon monoxide detectors image

LINK

I have a Nighthawk carbon monoxide detector and what is a number to know so that i know it's dangerous and should get out? I know it goes off when theres carbon monoxide in the air but i wanna know the number just incase. And I just tested it to and it said 214 is that bad?

Answer
The nice thing about Nighthawk is that they have a digital readout of the CO level so that you can monitor it even if the CO level isn't high enough to trigger the alarm. Under normal circumstances, the display should always read 0. Now, there are things that could cause the reading to temporarily rise, like cooking with a gas stove or oven. But, after you are done cooking, the level should drop. If your detector is reading anything but 0 all the time, you need to find the source and have the problem corrected. I would normally red flag anything over 9 or 10 ppm. Although that is no where near lethal levels, it still indicates a problem. Long term exposure to low levels of CO is not good for you.

Where should I put the Carbon Monoxide detector?

lovejustin

I recently purchased only one carbon monoxide detector, and I live in a three story house. The furnace is in the basement, if that effects anything :) Please help me decide where to put it in order to be safe!

Answer
Where Should I Place a Carbon Monoxide Detector?

Because carbon monoxide is slightly lighter than air and also because it may be found with warm, rising air, detectors should be placed on a wall about 5 feet above the floor. The detector may be placed on the ceiling. Do not place the detector right next to or over a fireplace or flame-producing appliance. Keep the detector out of the way of pets and children. Each floor needs a separate detector. If you are getting a single carbon monoxide detector, place it near the sleeping area and make certain the alarm is loud enough to wake you up.
http://chemistry.about.com/od/howthingswork/a/codetectors.htm

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How to test a carbon monoxide detector?

carbon monoxide detectors work image

Logic316

Is there any way to make sure a carbon monoxide detector is actually working? I know you can push the button on it, but that only tests the battery, not the CO sensor itself. I have an oil burner and I've actually placed the CO detector *inside* my chimney where it got the full blast of the exhaust and temporarily turned up the fumes by making my burner run too rich. I can't be certain, but this should have produced lots of CO and the detector never went off. Any suggestions?

Answer
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a deadly, colorless, odorless, poisonous gas. It is produced by the incomplete burning of various fuels, including coal, wood, charcoal, oil, kerosene, propane, and natural gas.

Take your detector to your local fire station they know how to test them.

What is a high number on a carbon monoxide detector?

LINK

I have a Nighthawk carbon monoxide detector and what is a number to know so that i know it's dangerous and should get out? I know it goes off when theres carbon monoxide in the air but i wanna know the number just incase. And I just tested it to and it said 214 is that bad?

Answer
The nice thing about Nighthawk is that they have a digital readout of the CO level so that you can monitor it even if the CO level isn't high enough to trigger the alarm. Under normal circumstances, the display should always read 0. Now, there are things that could cause the reading to temporarily rise, like cooking with a gas stove or oven. But, after you are done cooking, the level should drop. If your detector is reading anything but 0 all the time, you need to find the source and have the problem corrected. I would normally red flag anything over 9 or 10 ppm. Although that is no where near lethal levels, it still indicates a problem. Long term exposure to low levels of CO is not good for you.

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How do i know if i am safe to turn on my furnace?

carbon monoxide detector 40 image

Veronica

I am renting a 1970s trailer, and my landlord says he replaced some parts of my furnace, but I'm still terrified to turn it on. How do I know if I am safe? I looked it up online and was told to check to see if animals live inside or anything, but I don't even know where to start looking! I have renters insurance, but I'm terrified of fires, and instead went out and purchased some electric heaters but I will not leave them on when I am not home, and I live in mountains in new york. The warmest its been is about 40, and everywhere says it should be at least 50 in my house so my pipes don't freeze!

Answer
Turn off all power to anything that sparks before trying to start it, and open the windows.

But think about getting a carbon monoxide and explosive gas detector http://www.amazon.com/Kidde-KN-COEG-3-Nighthawk-Monoxide-Explosive/dp/B0002EVNJ6/ref=sr_1_5?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1353445241&sr=1-5&keywords=gas+detector , that one just plugs into an outlet. It's a great idea to have one, more and more municipalities are requiring CO detectors, and why not get the additional benefit of testing for explosive gas?

Can you still get carbon monoxide poisoning if the boiler is switched off ?

Sally anne

Please help im really worried as my boiler tank as been making really load bangs and viabrating

Answer
you're good don't worry about it anything under 40,000 BTU's is considered safe to operate without venting, such as a ventless gas fireplace or gas stove.so even if your pilot stayed lit it wouldnt hurt anything.but you should really have a carbon monoxide detector and as long as those arent beeping you're good

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Is California's highest in the nation unemployment related to its highest in the nation taxburden?

carbon monoxide detectors california image

Tesla V

@Eric, I am not saying it is the rich. It is the high taxes killing jobs in California.

Answer
The unemployment rate is tied to the business climate-taxes are only part of that.

Another part is the amount of crap you have to go through to get anything done in this state. It always seems to require 42 state agencies, any one of which can say no for any reason (or for no reason).

Here's one example--I basically can no longer use my fireplace because of "bad air quality". By any actual measure, the air quality is better than it was 10, 20 or 30 years ago, but they've redefined "bad air quality" so that many more days fall into that category.

And because I have a fireplace (which I'm not allowed to use), I'm legally required to have a carbon monoxide detector in my home, in case the fire that I'm not allowed to burn causes a carbon monoxide build up. The most recent data I ran across in a short search is from 1979-1988 (when you could use your fireplace basically every day if you wanted), where it showed that non-vehicle carbon monoxide inhalation caused 270 deaths. Not per year--for the entire decade.

Nearly 1/4 of those occured in cabins or tents (where people might do something like run a kerosene heater or stove to keep warm, and didn't properly vent it). So because an average of 21 people per year died in houses from carbon monoxide (that's .00009% of the state population at the time), I'm legally required to install and test a carbon monoxide detector-in fact, I could not legally sell the house without one, and I couldn't have any sort of construction done (even something like an electric water heater our in the garage). I'm not saying it's a bad idea to have one, but to legally require it!? That's just asinine.

how to become a daycare in home?

Kourtney E

i am located in southern california, los angeles county...
wondering what the steps are to run a daycare at home? and if there are any educational requirements? and or what would be the BEST way to do this and secure business?

Answer
I'm not in your state, but I am a licensed home daycare provider. What I had to do is contact the department of human & children services. They sent me a packet about what I had to do in order to become licensed, if I was still interested, I would (& did) send them back a form stating so. Then they sent me the entire application. When you apply to become licensed, there's a lot of paperwork & it's time consuming. It took around 3 months for everything to be done & go through. Everyone in the house has to get a physical & TB test, the house must be child proofed & be up to certain standards, such as fire & carbon monoxide detectors installed. All adults in the house must pass a background check & get fingerprinted. You have to turn in 3 references. You must have graduated high school, you'll have to get certified in CPR/First Aid, & you must attend 15hrs of child care training per year. The department of human services will inspect your home before giving you a license, if changes need to be made, you will have a certain time frame to get that done. Then they will do drop in visits 2-4 times per year. This is a secure business, but your income varies greatly from time to time. How much you make all depends on how many kids your watching, if they're full or part time, & so on. When you become licensed you are only allowed a certain number of kids in certain age groups, so there is a limit. If you have kids of your own, they will take up one of them spots - doesn't matter if they're in school during the day or not, your kids count. Most home daycares are allowed up to 8 kids, since I have 3 kids of my own (even though 1 is in school full time), that means I'm only allowed to have 5 kids. The hardest part of being a daycare provider is the parents. Make sure you have a contract & that you & the parents sign it, so that there is a clear understanding of what you charge, when it's due, vacation/holiday/sick policy, etc.

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Time to change my Carbon Monoxide Detector?

carbon monoxide detector 7 year life image

Guy Robert

I've had the same CO detector in my home for many years now, perhaps more than 7 years. The lights work (both POWER and CAUTION) and every time I press the TEST button it lets out the loud beep that it should when CO is in the air. My concern, however, is whether or not the detector is still as functional as it was when it was purchased.
Granted, I've been using the same smoke detector for 20 years and it seems to work A-OK, but are CO detectors any different?

Answer
There is a certain life expectancy in smoke and CO detectors. I read in a technical bulletin they last about 7 years. Reason is, sensitivity parameters change through the years. Put your mind at ease and install new units, also change batteries when we set our clocks ahead and back. (Easy to remember)

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).

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Is it normal for a carbon monoxide detector to read 0 ppm?

carbon monoxide alarm 30 ppm image

dfjkdfj

Sorry for posting a second time, but the first question did not get any good answers. Is it normal for a carbon monoxide detector to read 0 PPM? I have one that shows the highest level over the past 24 hours, and whenever I check it always reads 0 PPM. Is this normal? I would think there might be one or two PPM in the house, considering the lowest level it would bother sensitive people is 30 PPM.

Answer
Actually in the 0 to 29 ppm level CO detectors are not allowed to display the actual CO level, and are required to display zero in that range according to CO alarm standards developed by Underwriters Laboratories (UL2034) in collaboration with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. (The display and alarm specifications of UL2034 are matched in a Canadian standard, CSA 6.19-01)

What are the physical effects of carbon monoxide poisoning before death?

confused i

After the body was removed from the vehicle there was blood present in & on the side of the vehicle, and drops of blood on the ground. Why would blood be present from carbon monoxide poisoning? Also, by running a hose from the tailpipe through the window of the vehicle and sealing the window, how long would it take for death?
Would the person be able to turn the key off but not able to open the door? The vehicle was turned off but the doors were locked when the person was found. Could they have decided not to go thru with it, had the mobility to turn off the car and not had enough mobility to open the door?
This was an apparent suicide but there wasn't a note found and I have alot of questions. The presence of blood, the key turned off, the doors locked?......all of these things really puzzle me.

Answer
CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING

THE FACTS

As colorless as the air, this sudden killer is responsible for 700 fatalities a year in the United States. Carbon Monoxide (CO) is not to be confused with Carbon Dioxide (CO2), which is responsible for the bubbles in your gingerale. CO is a product of inefficiently burnt fuels that are created by an appliance or heating unit in the home. One in five deaths by CO poisoning can be attributed to a malfunctioning appliance, either due to poor maintenance or a design fault. Carbon Monoxide is the inevitable by-product of the burning of all carbon based fuels, and the less of it that is in the air, the better.

CO is deadly because it is not detectable to the five human senses. To confuse matters more, symptoms of CO poisoning mimic common every day ailments such as migraine headaches or the flu. This insidious threat to home safety is responsible for 113,333 emergency situations in the U.S. every year. There are two basic types of carbon monoxide poisoning, ACUTE and CHRONIC.

SYMPTOMS AND DIAGNOSIS

ACUTE CO poisoning is rarely detected until its victims become quite ill. In this kind of scenario, a heating unit or appliance breaks down and emits lethal levels of gas in a short time. The severity of the symptoms varies depending on the concentration of the gas in the air. The chart below gives you an idea of when to suspect that CO is the culprit behind your discomfort.

The numbers below represent the concentration or amount of CO that is in the air as per parts per million (ppm) followed by its physical effects:

* At 35 ppm - No adverse effects until after about 8 hours of exposure
* At 200 ppm - Mild headache after 2-3 hours of exposure
* At 800 ppm - Headache, nausea and dizziness at 45 minutes. Physical collapse at 2 hours.
* At 1000 ppm - Loss of consciousness at 1 hour.
* At 3200 ppm - Dizziness and nausea at10 minutes. Loss of consciousness occurs at 30 minutes.
* 12,800 ppm - Collapse, loss of consciousness and death after 1-3 minutes of exposure.

CHRONIC CO poisoning can be difficult to diagnose as the symptoms of long-term exposure mimic common disorder such as the flu. Long-term exposure to smaller amounts of CO has been associated with diabetes and brain damage. There is a middle range of slightly higher exposure over a shorter period of time. In this scenario, a gas heater breaks down and an entire family can suffer nausea and dizziness over a period of two weeks indicating that it might be from CO leak.

Persistent symptoms of CO poisoning include

* Fatigue
* Dizziness
* Nausea
* Vomiting
* Confusion
* Convulsions
* Respiratory problems
* Rapid breathing
* Persistent cough
* Concentration problems
* Hallucinations
* Panic attacks
* Clumsiness
* Severe muscle pains
* Trembling
* Vision problems


CAN IT BE PREVENTED?

CO takes its victims by surprise so poisoning is as hard to predict as any act of fate. However, there are measures you can take to immediately allay the severity of the situation.


* First and foremost, outfit your home and garage with a CO detector. Human beings are unable to smell CO so these devices act as a second nose. These devices resemble a fire alarm and sound off at the first subtle whiff of gas.
* Have a qualified professional regularly check your heating systems, chimneys, furnaces, stoves and cookers for flaws, leaks, efficiency and structural weaknesses.
* Be mindful and observant. For example, if you suspect your furnace is not working, don't use it until it is fixed.
* Be a savvy consumer. Before purchasing a major appliance, check with the manufacturer or a consumer safety groups to see if the brand has a good reputation.

PREPARATION

Carbon monoxide poisoning is accidental, and you should prepare for it just as you would any other catastrophe that might strike without warning. As is the case with fires, it is a good idea to make sure that all doors windows and exits are kept free of obstacles. Keeping a window open, while using appliances such as tabletop gas cookers is also a good idea.

WHAT TO DO IF THE UNFORTUNATE OCCURS

If at any time you feel you have been exposed to dangerous carbon monoxide fumes you should remove yourself from the area immediately and seek medical assistance. In this case, it is also advisable to open doors and break windows to let fresh air in and speed evacuation.

Emergency treatment for acute CO poisoning almost always includes keeping the victim warm as well as dosing them with supplemental oxygen via a mask.

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Is California's highest in the nation unemployment related to its highest in the nation taxburden?

carbon monoxide detectors in california homes image

Tesla V

@Eric, I am not saying it is the rich. It is the high taxes killing jobs in California.

Answer
The unemployment rate is tied to the business climate-taxes are only part of that.

Another part is the amount of crap you have to go through to get anything done in this state. It always seems to require 42 state agencies, any one of which can say no for any reason (or for no reason).

Here's one example--I basically can no longer use my fireplace because of "bad air quality". By any actual measure, the air quality is better than it was 10, 20 or 30 years ago, but they've redefined "bad air quality" so that many more days fall into that category.

And because I have a fireplace (which I'm not allowed to use), I'm legally required to have a carbon monoxide detector in my home, in case the fire that I'm not allowed to burn causes a carbon monoxide build up. The most recent data I ran across in a short search is from 1979-1988 (when you could use your fireplace basically every day if you wanted), where it showed that non-vehicle carbon monoxide inhalation caused 270 deaths. Not per year--for the entire decade.

Nearly 1/4 of those occured in cabins or tents (where people might do something like run a kerosene heater or stove to keep warm, and didn't properly vent it). So because an average of 21 people per year died in houses from carbon monoxide (that's .00009% of the state population at the time), I'm legally required to install and test a carbon monoxide detector-in fact, I could not legally sell the house without one, and I couldn't have any sort of construction done (even something like an electric water heater our in the garage). I'm not saying it's a bad idea to have one, but to legally require it!? That's just asinine.

how to become a daycare in home?

Kourtney E

i am located in southern california, los angeles county...
wondering what the steps are to run a daycare at home? and if there are any educational requirements? and or what would be the BEST way to do this and secure business?

Answer
I'm not in your state, but I am a licensed home daycare provider. What I had to do is contact the department of human & children services. They sent me a packet about what I had to do in order to become licensed, if I was still interested, I would (& did) send them back a form stating so. Then they sent me the entire application. When you apply to become licensed, there's a lot of paperwork & it's time consuming. It took around 3 months for everything to be done & go through. Everyone in the house has to get a physical & TB test, the house must be child proofed & be up to certain standards, such as fire & carbon monoxide detectors installed. All adults in the house must pass a background check & get fingerprinted. You have to turn in 3 references. You must have graduated high school, you'll have to get certified in CPR/First Aid, & you must attend 15hrs of child care training per year. The department of human services will inspect your home before giving you a license, if changes need to be made, you will have a certain time frame to get that done. Then they will do drop in visits 2-4 times per year. This is a secure business, but your income varies greatly from time to time. How much you make all depends on how many kids your watching, if they're full or part time, & so on. When you become licensed you are only allowed a certain number of kids in certain age groups, so there is a limit. If you have kids of your own, they will take up one of them spots - doesn't matter if they're in school during the day or not, your kids count. Most home daycares are allowed up to 8 kids, since I have 3 kids of my own (even though 1 is in school full time), that means I'm only allowed to have 5 kids. The hardest part of being a daycare provider is the parents. Make sure you have a contract & that you & the parents sign it, so that there is a clear understanding of what you charge, when it's due, vacation/holiday/sick policy, etc.

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Beeping smoke detector- won't stop?

carbon monoxide detector 3 beeps image

curiouser

it is kidde fyrnetics -ionization smoke alarm model1275

it has battery and is hard wired....it started beeping..so I changed the battery...kept beeping..another battery....if you do the button test..works....the battery portion has stopped beeping but even when you reconnect to the hard wired part--the hard wired part won't stop.....

any suggestions?????? if not can someone tell me how to disable the hardwire, without breaking it permanently, until I can get someone in to look at it...driving me crazy....and YES I know you are not supposed to disable ...but I do have 3 othe smoke detectors and 3 carbon monoxide detectors in the house--thks

Answer
the smoke detector has gone bad. When you say it is hard wired there should be a plug in the back. Push together and pull it back out. get a new one that has the wiring and put the new plug in you may have to change the plug if you do change by wire colors they should match up.pull the new battery tab and you are good to go.

wired smoke detector keeps beeping I have turned it off at the mains but it is still beeping how do I stop it?

Sue H

Answer
I have worked in the electronic security industry for over 40 years, and have encountered many of my customers with this same complaint. Here are the most common causes of this problem.

1) You may have identified the wrong detector. In other words, the beep is coming from somewhere else, and not the smoke detectors. If you are absolutely certain that you have disconnected all power to the smoke detector then there is no way a noise can come from a detector that has no power. It is ether getting power from somewhere else, or you are hearing a beep from another device such as a carbon monoxide detector that is nearby.

2) Your smoke detector is one that is wired to an alarm system. In this case I highly recommend that you contact your alarm company for service because your smoke detector is getting power from a back up battery that is a part of your alarm system, and leaving the main power shut off will wear that battery down, and then you may have to have it replaced too.

3) Your smoke detector has a built in back up battery. You can shut off the main power to your detector, but it will still run on the internal battery until it dies, which could take several hours, or maybe even days. In this case you need to take the smoke detector down and see if there is a battery inside and disconnect it.

Most smoke detectors will come down by simply grasping the detector on the outer edges and giving it a twist either to the left or the right. If you look closely on the outer housing of the detector, there should be instructions on how to open it in raised lettering on the plastic. Be careful not to force it too much if the detector is expensive because most people end up breaking the housing or the mount of the device to the point it needs to be replaced with a new one.

The most common reason these detectors start beeping when there is no reason such as a fire, is because it has reached the end of it's useful service life. A very good quality detector should last about 10 years before it should be replaced, so if yours are older than that, you need to consider replacing them with new ones, and if they are wired in to your household power, or to your wired security system, then call in a professional service technician to have them replaced and tested for operation.

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There is an irregular, electronic chirp emanating from our kitchen ceiling. What could this possibly be?

carbon monoxide detectors on ceiling image

Patrick D.

We thought it was our carbon monoxide detectors, but we took the batteries out of all of them and no dice. It seems very clearly to come from inside of the ceiling.... but the problem is that it's not a drop ceiling and we have no access inside of the ceiling. More like a chirp than a beep, and it occurs every couple of minutes, though with no regularity.

Answer
If you removed the batteries, then for sure you're going to experience the "chirping" sound. There should be a little indicator light that, with a fully charged battery, should be green. You experiencing the "chirp" sound tells me that the light on your detector is going to be an orange or red color. This is your indication to replace the battery, which, nine times out of ten, is going to be a 9 volt battery. In most cases, the actual light in which I have just mentioned acts as a "Test" button as well...Some units have a test button off to the side. Anyway, upon depressing this particular button consecutively for at least 10 seconds, the alarm will go off, indicating that it's fully operational again...Note: the alarm will shut itself off automatically, however there should be a hush button to do it sooner... This "chirping" sound was designed to be irritating. Placed there deliberately by the manufacturer to identify when to change the battery...Believe it or not, this annoying chirp can and has saved many lives...Good Luck !!!

Can I use radon detector gas to get the reading for carbon monoxide level?

westofrest

We have a radon detector that was used to test the radon level in the basement. Can we use it to get an accurate reading for carbon monoxide level instead of using a carbon monoxide detector? Thank you.

Answer
I don't think so. There is a carbon monoxide circular device that is aliken to the fire alarm circular device you attach to the ceiling in your home. They say this cm device should be placed by your windows as well as in your garage and bedroom. I heard they are about $20 each at Home Depot. In my humble opinion you don't need to know the "levels" what you need to know is when it's there and to leave promptly upon hearing the alarm. Btw, radon can be present in rooms that rarely have the windows open as it gets trapped. So as I understand it, it's around, just don't harness it.

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carbon dioxide alarm question?

carbon monoxide detector does detect natural gas image

luvs 2 sho

can carbon dioxide alarms detect gas leaks? also another question if there is a leak how long does it take before it blows up like if a leak just happen could it blow up right there and then? what are the signs of a gas leak?

Answer
No. Natural gas or LP gas is not CO2. If you happen to mean " Carbon Monoxide" alarm, CO, same case. (CO is the typical alarm type in residential applications) CO is odorless and very toxic to us.

Natural gas & LP has an odor added to it ( for detection by our noses). It has to be in the range 2.15% to 9.60% LP mixed to air to be explosive. Anything less or anything more, and it is not . (One of the properties that makes it desirable as an engergy source for our use)

It is also 1.52 the weight of air, so gravity keeps it low.

It would need an ignition source of 154 F. Most likely explosion range mixtures would be very shortly after a leak started and would exceed the max % range fairly shortly after that - so a small "window" for potential explosion.

Main signs of leakage is the "Smell" of the commercial additive. Verifying the leak with soap/water mixture on the pipe lines to locate the leak with "bubbles" showing.
There are also "LP Gas Detector" alarms available.

Can a NON vented heater be converted into a vented heater? By making a duct to feed the fire air from out side?

Bobby

Can a NON vented heater be converted into a vented heater? By making a duct to feed the fire. With air from the out side, to the bottom of the heater. I was told the ONLY DIFRANCE between vented or (non) vented was having out side air to feed the fire.

Answer
No. A non-vented heater cannot be converted into a vented heater.
Gas heaters all work by burning gas (propane or natural) to produce heat. All of them produce some amount of Carbon Monoxide.
Vented heaters produce the heat in a sealed box with a vent or flue attached that sends the combustion gases to the outside world.
Non-vented do not. What you were told was close, but it's the exhaust, not the intake.
Non-vented, or "blue-flame" heaters produce very little carbon monoxide when working correctly. They also have sensors that turn the heater off if Co is detected.
But, when (not if) the heater malfunctions, dangerous levels of Co can build up in the living space, which can result in sickness and death.
If it isn't UL approved as a vented heater, it isn't one.
Best Of Luck
If you have a non-vented heater, get a Co detector, or two. Test them regularly.

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How difficult is it to pass the Home Study before adoption?

carbon monoxide detectors mandatory image

Frenchrina

I heard that it is very difficult to pass the Home Study, part necessary to be able to adopt a child, nationally or internationally.
Could someone tell me if they went through that; Their experience; Did they pass? How much time did it take all together? What is the social worker exactly looking for? (At home and in general)

Answer
Not necessarily hard, just very involved. You must have a stable home deemed safe for the child to live in. He or she must have their own room for the first year of their life, after which they may share a room with another child should more space be needed for another person. You will of course have to baby proof everything (cabinets, drawers, doorknobs, toilet lids, outlets, etc) and also have a ful, functioning fire extinguisher, working smoke/carbon monoxide detectors, & an emergency eveacuation plan set in place and practiced so everyone in the home knows what to do to get out safely in case of an emergency. My wife and I even bought a couple of those foldable ladders you hang from the window sill if you need to escape from a second or third story window (about $70 a piece). They weren't mandatory, but the DFS worker was thrilled to see we had thought ahead and went the extra mile. Add to that baby gates for the top and bottom of EVERY STAIRCASE IN THE HOUSE. also, you'll wanna get all mini blind cords and the like out of reach. Mostly just common sense stuff pretty much. Like I said, not a hard process, just very involved. You will also be interviewed IN DETAIL as to your financial ability to care for the child. You will be asked for AT LEAST 3 personal references and if you live with a spouse or significant other, you'll be privately interviewed on the subject of your better half (your relationship with them, their strengths/ weaknesses, how they and the child interact with one another. In addition to all this, you will most likely be asked to write AT LEAST a 2 page autobiography detailing different aspects of your personal life. Be prepared to answer a LOT of questions. Some easy, some maybe not so much, depending on your life. There is usually at least two visits to do the home study, on top of the regular monthly visits from your case worker. Add all this to the classes you'll have to take to get certified in CPR as well as a state certified foster parent (you cannot adopt without first getting certified) and all the court dates, & you can see why some people say its so hard. It really isn't though, just very involved and time consuming. Keep patient, and everything will go relatively smoothly. Once the home study is complete and you are certified thru the state, it's just a matter of getting the permanency planning committee to approve you (basically just a formality if you've already come this far) and then you can schedule one last court date for the adoption ceremony!!! It does take a while, but it's SOOOOO worth it!!!

Can you still go to the fire department and get a free smoke detector? Im in Chicago.?

uthinkso

Heard this a while back and was just wandering.

Answer
Yes you can. FYI. Carbon monoxide detectors are now mandatory. Those you will have to buy.

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Do carbon monoxide detectors use radiation?

carbon monoxide detector 40 image

I need to do a science project for my school, and I have a Geiger Counter so I figured I could use that, I'm aware that smoke detectors use radiation to detect smoke, but I don't have a spare smoke detector to take apart to get the radioactive material, I do have a spare carbon monoxide detector but I'm not sure if that also uses radiation?

Answer
No, they don't use any radioactive substances.

I'd try using granite and other Uranium and Thorium containing minerals, also potassium based fertiliser or salt substitute (Potassium 40 is radioactive and naturally present in all potassium) and gas lantern mantles containing thorium (some gas mantles use less efficient or more expensive alternatives due to fear of radiation).

My carbon monoxide detectors wont stop beeping they go off every 40 secs or so can you help?

Stizz84

Well there is one in the front room and one close too the garage im pretty sure its a problem with the detectors but its also got wires in them.. how would i go about replacing them or possibly dewire them as well?
the wires Are electrical ones so they are hot
I am very comfortable working with electricity as i have worked with 480 before so the house power is also dangerous will i need to replace them or could i fix the ones I got

Answer
What are the odds that they are all defective?

It is one of 2 things.

1. Carbon Monoxide.
2. Something in the power.

Go buy a CO detector with seperate power to test with.

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Why does my Carbon Monoxide detector keep going off?

carbon monoxide detectors problems image

Stephen T

We have a brand new First Alert smoke/carbon monoxide detector. One day it was going off when I came home for lunch. I called the fire dept. and they came and did a test and said my levels were normal for the basement. A few weeks ago it started going off again so I opened a window. We felt no symptoms. This morning it went off yet again.

Is my device faulty? What could be the problems. Every time it has gone off I have replaced the batteries just in case the signal meant low battery.

Answer
I would try a different unit (or even different brand) and see if the results are the same. You might even try getting separate smoke/CO detectors and try different locations. And if it goes off again, I would have the fire department come and check more than the basement (and they should use two detectors to make sure THEIR readings are accurate). There's a whole myriad of factors involved here; I wouldn't rest until I was sure I wasn't in any danger. People die from CO poisoning every day. I've found a couple of websites that might help:

My Carbon Monoxide Detector is going off in the closet with the hot water heater?

Deangelo H

I called maintenance and they told me it was just a faulty Carbon Monoxide detector and they would take care of it in the morning...I think they just don't want to call someone out so late....I hit the reset button, which silenced the alarm, if it really is a CM problem how long until the detector starts going off again? You think I should call the Fire Department?
ALso I have a headache, and I never get headaches....now that I'm reading up on CM poisining, this could be a bad sign
UPDATE: Fire Department Came out and tested the air....no poisoning, just a bad detector...Thanks GUYS

Answer
Don't play around..Call the fire department.
They will be glad to check it out.

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First Alert hardwired CO & Smoke alarm keep going off. Help please?

carbon monoxide detector beeps every 60 seconds image

Arsh

Our entire house wide CO/Smoke alarm system keeps going off for no apparent reason. We use "First Alert"

The alarm looks like http://www.amazon.com/First-Alert-SC07CN-Operated-Combination/dp/B0002CWXZG/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1334712438&sr=8-10
-BUT IT IS NOT THAT EXACT MODEL- It has no model number on it and I do not have the manual for it.

The house is less than 1 year old, as well as the alarm system. We have only had to change one of the batteries in the entire house.

The red light is flashing next to "SMOKE" on all of the alarms except for one. The one that it isn't flashing on, has a steady green light next to it.

There are no lights on next to the CO on any of the alarms.

The entire system would go off for 30 - 60 seconds every 5 or so minutes for about 20 minutes and then stopped for 10 minutes, started up again with the same patterns but this time only twice.

We realized that the alarm in the basement was making a loud beep at the end of each round of alarms, so we changed the batteries in that one.

Water is gas heated, stove is gas and heat is radiant heat.

Most of the windows have been open all day and are still open now, so we don't believe it is carbon monoxide. We aren't cooking and we don't smoke, there is no smoke in the house anywhere.

Any ideas of what it could be or what I should do? It doesn't seem to be going off anymore and my father is going around resetting all the alarms by holding the reset button for 3 - 5 seconds, which makes a loud noise and turns the light green.

I'm just afraid it could have something to do with carbon monoxide or something, so if anyone has any experience with this please let me know.
We have an attached garage, but nothing seems wrong out there.

Our dryer was going, so it may have been that.

The only people living in the house are my parents and I, no kids or anything.

Answer
When one smoke/CO alarm goes off they all go off because they are wired in series. This way if the basement has a problem the entire house is aware of it. I would replace ALL the batteries ( this is usually done annually when you change the clocks back in the fall), and realize they are very sensitive. My wife has to close the bathroom door with the fan on as she sprays hair spray in the morning. Our CO detector also senses explosive gases so the propellant from the hairspray sets it off. I would go to the first alert site for ID of your sensors and ask their customer service agent for help.

http://www.firstalert.com/

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on a nighthawk detector what numbers are considered unsafe?

kidde carbon monoxide detector 888 image

Nay

We have a Nighthawk carbon monoxide detector in our home. The number 8 just recently appeared on the screen. Should we be concerned? No alarm has gone off.

Answer
I just installed one of those the other day and I would have sworn that 8 was an error code that I got and that you just have to unplug the detector and plug it back in. But I just looked at the manual online and there is no mention of 8 being an error code. It does display "888" for a few seconds when you fist plug it in.

If it is steadily displaying an 8 then that is the level of carbon monoxide that it has detected since last reset. On the one hand that is a very low level and is safe - some references put the maximum continuous exposure level at 35 ppm and some say 50 ppm. Either way, 8 ppm is very low.

But then you have to wonder where the 8 ppm came from and if it is from a leak than may get worse over time. Having a CO detector is a good thing, it will make plenty of noise if the levels ever get to the point that you need to take action.

You could call Kidde at 800-880-6788 and talk to them if you want some reassurance.

Why does my Nighthawk carbon monoxide detector keep chirping every so often and reading 248 after I reset it?

Dragonlady

The last few days, the detector has chirped...does it for about an hour or less, every 30 seconds or so. Sometimes it stops for hours..even up to a day before it does it again. I've changed the battery twice. It came up low battery once...but was reading 0 the whole time the other times it happened. Then when I hit reset, it went to 888, then to 248 and once said 247. I don't understand this...makes me worry, yet it goes back to 0.

Answer
It suggests that there most likely is a malfunction if as you say that you've put new batteries in. It could also be an end of life warning (not yours, the carbon monoxide detectors'). If you've had the alarm for between 4-7 years this could be the case. People have had some problems with this particular model of carbon monoxide detector. It's probably best to contact the manufacturer directly, in this case Kidde, and if you have a valid warranty get them to send a new one asap. If not and your detector is in the end of life period it's probably better to buy a new one asap anyway. In the meantime it's better not to take any risks; make sure your house is well ventilated at all times.

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