Sabtu, 12 April 2014

Should I Be Scared To Get A Fire At My Home?




Damian Kry


i heard that last week, a house on gage ave. Hamilton, Ontario, was caught on fire. the whole house was gone. and it was most likely caused by a gas leak. a woman had critical conditions. she is now in hospital. 2 girls 22 and 20 had escaped. (the fire started in the basement) and the mom was down there. and she was trapped. the firefighters took her out, she was pronounced dead, but she got revived. but the 2 daughters are still facing the fact that they may lose their mother. she may already be dead, im not sure. there are no updates that i can find. here's the full story: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/news/firefighters-pull-woman-from-burning-basement-1.2444018

there was more than 1 link. there should be 1 or 2 more:

http://www.thespec.com/news-story/4249527-gage-street-fire-victims-starting-from-scratch-/

keep them in your prayers.


my question is "should i be scared that my house may get a gas leak? we have insurance, but still i dont want to lose my home. homes take a while to re-build. and im just worried that "what if we have a gas leak"? should i be scared? or should i not worry? are fires rare? are gas leaks rare? how can you prevent gas leaks? how can you be sure that your house wont catch on fire? i am scared now, because they are not far. gage is only 4 or 5 streets away. and i dont wanna lose my parents. we wont have clothes, water, food, furniture, shelter. please help. i will give 15 points to who answers this question. but can you explain to me how to give 15 points to best answer? idk how too. i was scared to even go to bed, i didnt want to wake up dead. so please. if its a really good answer. i will give 20 points. anything to get me to stop thinking that my house will catch on fire...

please answer right away!!!!!
Thank You.....
15 or 20 points not too who only answers it, to the best answer.



Answer
when things like this happen it does make you stop and think
we got carbon monoxide detectors fitted when there was a news article about people succumbing to fumes

its great that you are now vigilant, but you cannot let it rule your life
make sure everything is on good working order, a gas inspection is done and up to date
and relax

Is it safe to use a natural gas oven to heat a house?




funkybass4


are the fumes dangerous?


Answer
no
Carbon monoxide is a lot like an elusive criminal -- it's highly dangerous and you can't see or smell it. In fact, it's often called "the silent killer."


You can protect your family from the dangers of this deadly gas by taking preventive measures and by learning to recognize the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Check out the following safety tips to keep your home safe from the build up of dangerous carbon monoxide. If you need more information about carbon monoxide poisoning and prevention, call the Poison Control Center at 1-800-POISON-1 (1-800-764-7661).

Traditionally, few people have considered gas ovens to be a major source of carbon monoxide (CO), even though all their exhaust products are often vented directly into the indoor air of a residence. Yet unvented space heaters with a similar output of combustion gases have been banned in many states because of indoor air quality (IAQ) dangers inherent in their use.

CO poisoning in homes is generally the most serious of the wide variety of IAQ problems, in that people can die quickly from it, whereas most other such problems can be considered chronic. Weatherization personnel must perform a variety of combustion safety tests to determine if CO is being produced by any of the combustion appliances in a residence. If they find dangerously high levels, the crew should know how to fix the problem.


CO and Its Effects

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, nonirritating, but highly toxic, gas. It is flammable and slightly lighter than air. It is produced whenever there is incomplete combustion of hydrocarbon fuels--that is, when there is insufficient air to burn the fuel completely. The highest concentrations of CO typically occur at start-up of the appliance. This is especially true of ovens, because little or no air can flow through the oven until the air inside it heats and rises out of the exhaust vent.

High levels of CO cause headaches, nausea, shortness of breath, dizziness, confusion, brain damage, and, in severe cases, death. CO strangles the victim by reducing the amount of oxygen that can get to cells and impairing the body's usage of oxygen even if it reaches the cellular level. Victims should be removed from the exposure, though symptoms often persist well after removal from the source. That is because the so-called half life of CO in blood--the time for the peak concentration to decline to half its original value--is about four hours.

Often the symptoms are similar to those of flu. People who may have been exposed to CO should go to the hospital for a simple blood test. Another option is to check carboxyhemoglobin levels in the blood using a breath CO detector. A relatively inexpensive ($95) attachment is now available for Bacharach MONOXOR II carbon monoxide monitors, which are widely used for combustion safety testing.

Symptoms are related to the exposure level and time of exposure. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that a person should not breathe CO concentrations of 9 parts per million (ppm) or higher for any eight-hour period; 35 ppm or higher for any one-hour period; or 200 ppm or higher at any one time. Moreover, a person should not be exposed to any one of these three conditions more than once per year. The World Health Organization and Health Canada recommend a maximum exposure of 25 ppm for a one-hour period. ASHRAE Standard 62-1989 recommends an exposure limit of no more than 9 ppm in a living space, and Japan has an indoor standard that limits exposure to 10 ppm for any duration.

Recommended Oven CO Test Protocol

All gas and propane ovens should be tested for combustion safety, since they can be a major source of carbon monoxide (CO).
Test the oven in its as-found condition (do not clean or adjust) before starting any weatherization.
Use an electronic CO meter with a range of 0 ppm-2,000 ppm and a resolution of 1 ppm, such as the Bacharach MONOXOR II. Older nonelectronic meters or diffusion tubes are not suitable.
Zero the CO meter. This is typically done outdoors in a rural or unpolluted area. Do not rezero for individual houses. Calibrate the meter with 10 ppm and 500 ppm calibration gas about every six months (check zero at this time).
Turn the kitchen exhaust hood on, if one exists, to avoid exposing test personnel to potential CO.
Insert the CO meter probe tip well into the oven exhaust vent (typically an opening about 1 in high by 5 in wide centered in the back dial section on the top of the stove). The intent is to monitor the exhaust gases inside the oven exhaust before they are outside the oven and diluted with air.
Turn the meter on and then turn the oven on bake at 350deg.F with the oven door closed.
Watch the CO meter reading rise and record the peak or maximum reading. It should typically reach a peak within about 5 to 10 minutes and then begin to drop back down again to a steady value after a much longer time.
If the peak value is less than 100 ppm, the oven is not producing elevated levels of CO and need not be tuned or adjusted. Weatherization can continue.
If the peak value is greater than 100 ppm, turn the oven off. It is producing elevated levels of CO that could cause adverse health effects. It needs to be cleaned, tuned, or otherwise adjusted prior to or in conjunction with any air tightening of the dwelling.
If aluminum foil is lining the oven bottom, it needs to be removed or perforated along its edges so the secondary air holes in the oven bottom are not blocked. Such blockage is a major cause of high CO levels.
If the CO levels are still above 100 ppm after removing or fixing the foil, or if no foil is present, clean or tune the oven.
After the oven has completely cooled (at least 30 minutes with the oven off and the oven door open), turn the oven back on. Recheck the peak CO level in the oven exhaust gases.
Continue to adjust and recheck the peak exhaust CO level until it is below 100 ppm; only then continue with weatherization. Almost all ovens can be satisfactorily tuned in the field.
If, after repeated tuning attempts, the CO levels are still elevated, call the oven manufacturer. A few models cannot be satisfactorily tuned.
If the occupants complain of headaches, nausea, flulike symptoms, or worse, or if a home CO detector alarm has gone off recently, measure the occupants' CO blood levels with a breathalizer or recommend that the occupants get a blood test immediately at a hospital. Turn off all combustion appliances.
In extreme cases, it may be advisable to measure the maximum steady CO level in the kitchen air. After oven start-up it typically takes at least an hour to reach that level in loose dwellings and may take upwards of 8 to10 hours in very tight homes.
Consider giving any client whose dwelling has any type of CO combustion appliance, or at least those whose oven was not satisfactory, a home CO detector. Types with an LED readout are preferable (see "Conservation Clips: CO Detectors Not Created Equal" p. 63).
Two important caveats:

(1) This protocol does not apply to convection ovens, which have been known to blow hot air full of CO into the auditor's face. (2) A separate protocol needs to be developed for testing stove burners. In both cases, the indoor CO level should be tested.

Field Test Findings

Excessive carbon monoxide production from combustion appliances and CO poisoning are much more common than has previously been recognized. Among 25 homes with gas ovens tested in an ongoing survey by Montana Power Company's Low-Income Weatherization Program in Kalispell, Montana, CO concentration in the kitchen was found to be greater than 9 ppm in the cooking area in every case.

At Portland State University (PSU), my group measured IAQ in 23 low-income homes. One-third had ovens that caused levels in the cooking area to exceed the eight-hour 9 ppm standard after 20 minutes. However, 10 of the 23 cases showed CO levels increasing with time. (CO levels from the oven operation were monitored at 3, 10, and 20 minutes after turning on the oven.) That indicated the need to go back and continue testing over a longer time period. Most of the apartments or homes were fairly small and apparently leaky, demonstrating that leaky dwellings, as well as tight ones, are vulnerable.

In the few cases where CO released from stoves has been monitored, the stoves probably were not left on long enough to reach the maximum CO levels in the kitchen air. We conducted a follow-up study in Portland to determine just how long it takes to reach steady-state conditions (maximum indoor CO levels). Sixty ovens were monitored in two relatively leaky apartment buildings with the oven set on broil and the oven door closed. Half of the readings were over 9 ppm, and 15% were over the one-hour 35 ppm standard level.

The minimum time for an oven to reach maximum CO levels in the surrounding air was 20 minutes, but the average was 45 minutes to 60 minutes. Reaching equilibrium in that short a time implies that the apartments were very leaky, as was the case. Had they been much more airtight, it could have taken many hours to reach steady-state conditions, though the steady-state level would be higher than that in the leakier units. Tight homes also tend to have higher indoor CO levels from long-term oven operation.

The study also found that CO levels in the exhaust ports can indicate potential IAQ problems. In the field tests, about 40% of the ovens had CO production levels in excess of 50 ppm in their undiluted exhaust port at the time of the maximum CO reading in the kitchen air; the highest reading was over 2,000 ppm, and the average was 100 ppm. Ovens should be tuned if the steady-state CO levels in their undiluted exhaust gases is above about 25 ppm. Higher exhaust concentrations can produce indoor air readings above 9 ppm, with consequent adverse health effects.

Other field tests have corroborated the studies in Montana and Oregon. One low-income home I tested in Philadelphia had a CO level of 330 ppm in the kitchen air after only five minutes of oven operation! Similar problems were found with hundreds of homes in a study directed by Bruce Davis as part of low-income weatherization efforts in Arkansas. In almost every case the excess CO levels in the oven exhaust ports were reduced to below about 25 ppm after the oven was cleaned or adjusted.

It is particularly important to recognize that gas ovens are used as either the main or a supplemental space heating source in numerous U.S. homes, especially low-income homes. Two medical studies have indicated that 40%-50% of all urban low-income dwellings are heated with their ranges. It would seem reasonable that a similarly large fraction of nonurban low-income dwellings are heated in the same way. Given that about half of the ranges in the United States are gas or propane fired, and that about 20% of the U.S. population is classified as low-income, the potential problem is enormous.

The evidence suggests as much. In a recent study of the factors setting off CO detector alarms after their use was mandated in Chicago, stoves (either stove burners or ovens) were deemed responsible in 78% of the cases. At one Kentucky hospital, when patients coming into the emergency room with flulike symptoms were given blood tests, about 25% were found to have CO poisoning. These limited test results indicate that combustion appliance operation is often unacceptable. Monitoring for safety should be the first priority for weatherization crews.



Oven Repair

There is very little information readily available on how to adjust, clean, or otherwise tune an oven that is producing excessive levels of CO. However, experience in Arkansas with more than 300 ovens and in a PSU research project indicates that the following items should be checked:

Primary air adjustment--check the shutter opening. This is very important.
Fuel orifice size. The size will be different for liquified petroleum (LP) and natural gas.
Oven supply pressure. It is usually best to maintain the value stamped on the plate--usually 3.5-4.5 in of water (870-1,100 Pa) for natural gas and 9-11 in (2,200-2,700 Pa) for LP. Also check rated heat input on the plate and ensure that the orifice and pressure combination provides that input.
Secondary air path. Secondary air holes should be cleaned or cleared; pay special attention to the presence of aluminum foil lining the bottom of the oven and covering the secondary air holes.
Burner and pilot. These should be cleaned.
The good news is that most ovens can easily be repaired so that they emit little or no CO in the exhaust port, typically below 100 ppm peak or 25 ppm steady state. Ovens are basically simple devices, and repair tools cost little. A Dwyer, Ritchie, Bacharach, or other brand U-tube manometer to measure the gas pressure should cost between $10 and $40. A small brass wire brush, flair wrenches, and an asbestos glove are used for tuning as well.

Kitchen Exhaust Fans

Ventilating combustion products directly out of the kitchen eliminates the opportunity for them to affect occupants. This would get rid of CO and also oxides of nitrogen that are always present. These pollutants are a special concern in tight houses.

Kitchen fans are generally noisy, in part because they have relatively high flow rates. If they are too noisy, people will be reluctant to use them. Thus in selecting an exhaust fan to install in an existing home, look for one that is relatively quiet. It may require a fan with a somewhat lower capacity, but that is probably a good tradeoff. It's better to have a lower-power fan that is used than a high-power one that isn't. One fairly quiet option for retrofitting a fan into an existing home is remote installation: an axial fan that is rated for greasy air can be installed in an attic.

Finally, it is important to educate clients about the need to use their kitchen exhaust fan (if one exists) whenever the range is operating. Often people think that the only reason to use it is to get rid of cooking odors. Using fans can help reduce indoor pollutant concentrations by removing the pollutants at their source.

Whether or not an exhaust fan exists, safety tests should be performed in any home with combustion appliances, particularly before any weatherization efforts are undertaken. These simple tests have the potential to eliminate a serious safety problem.




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Do carbon monoxide detectors use radiation?




Jesse


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).

can you please answer!! abt carbon monoxide!!?




Sarah


basically i woke abt an hr ago to the sound of the carbon monoxide alarm beeping! it isnt very loud and it beeps every 40 seconds. is there carbon monoxide in the house or is it just the battery????? i dont think it would b the battery cuz we just got the alarm less than 3 months ago!! please answer!! would it make a louder noise if there was carbon monoxide here?? thanks and have a great day!!!!!!!!!!


Answer
CO detectors also detect smoke. When a battery gets low the detector usually chirps once every few minutes or so. Every 40 seconds doesn't sound right, the unit may be defective, or they designed it to be more insistent when you have a low battery.

If the alarm was detecting something that needed to be announced the alarm would be beeping rapidly - continuously until the battery went dead. Since yours isn't doing that I'd have to guess it's probably safe to still be in the house.

My wife just bought a new clock. Came with a new battery. But it wasn't working. She was going to take it back but I thought why not just switch the battery. Turned out the contacts were dirty and only needed to be cleaned. Sometimes you get a defective device. I've had plenty of NEW batteries that were almost dead when I took them out of the package. Could just be you need a new battery. No telling how long that thing sat on the shelf - or even if someone bought it and decided they didn't want it any longer. Or maybe they had an old one and bought a new one then put the old one back in the box and brought it back for a refund. These ARE hard economic times and there's no telling what someone may do.

My advice is if the device is acting suspiciously (as I suspect based on the 40 second chirp) I'd think it might be time to either read the instructions or take it back for a new one.

Hope this helps.

'av'a g'day mate.

")




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Jumat, 11 April 2014

Why are my CF lights setting off my smoke/carbon monoxide detectors?




Juliebelle


I have several detectors and all of them seem to be set off when I turn on certain lights in my house. Sometimes, if I move the lights slightly to the left or right, they do not set the detectors off. Also, on a few occasions, our tv or a/c unit remote controls have set them off as well.


Answer
It is more likely your detectors need replaced. The ONLY way the lights will set off properly functioning detectors is if the wiring is defective. Either way, you have SOMETHING that needs repaired. and it isn't the CFLs or the remotes.

help! carbon monoxide detector went off!?




Julie R


i am not in the house. i am babysitting 2 young kids. the 5 yr old is next door, me and the 2 year old are outside (laptop). i am 15 and scared shitless. my dad is on his way. we got out of there the minute the alarm went off, but all the windows were open and mutliple fans were on! i want even using any appliances. it went of first about 20 minutes ago but only for a second, so we went outside for 10 minutes or so and we were fine but now that is has gone off again and this time for real, i am scared. no one has gotten the symptoms (headache tired dizzy vomiting ect.) but the kids are okay right!?!


Answer
Everybody is fine. If there is a gas stove in the house, there may be gas escaping. Or the detector may be defective. One never knows.

In any case, you did the right thing, and the kids are not affected at all. Your quick thinking is appreciated by all. You can stop being scared now and appreciate that you acted well under stress. This is a good recommendation for a babysitter.

The parents will take care of the situation.




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This morning, my carbon monoxide detector went off......?




ens


I'm all freaked out now. Management of my apt building is going to check it out and I opened up the windows. If I open up the windows, does that eliminate carbon monoxide. Basically, how do you get rid of it? I won't be here during the day and will return this evening. Can I expect it to be gone since I have the windows open? The stove is off. The heat is controlled by the building and isn't on. My landlord was thinking that the alarm went off b/c the battery needs to be replaced (although he hasn't been inside my place yet to check it out). I don't know about that one. Thanks everyone for your help!!


Answer
Your boiler or something that uses gas might be leaking, it may be a tiny leak that you wont be able to find.

When you get in, put your house into its 'normal' state and see if it goes off again. If it does then call your building manager and they should get the required plumber etc. in to fix it.

If that is not their responsibility then you will need to get a plumber in to isolate the leak. It may have been a false alarm or that the batteries in the monoxide detector need changed.

Why is my carbon monoxide detector going off when i just installed it?




daisy_camp


well earlier this evening there was a mini fire in my cooking pan. i guess it was a grease fire and yeahh.. well my brother took the pan away and put it out. about 3 or 4 hours later i found the corbon monoxide detector and i set it up and it started beeping and wouldint stop. Is it doing this because i just installed or i have carbon monoxide in my house...
Blaahhh... Im dead.. lol... nothing really happend.... i look up symtoms and yeahh didnt have any.. soo im rite hear the same.. oh and i took it outside and then it stopped beeping then i took it back inside and it stop beeping soo yeah.. IM ALIVE!!! lol



Answer
You may have carbon monoxide in your home. You can call the fire department and they will come out with a detector to measure the level. This same thing happened to my mother a few years ago when she bought and installed a carbon monoxide detector. She called the fire department and they determined that the gas stove was leaking gas.




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Kamis, 10 April 2014

Why does my furnace blow cold air sometimes.?




vanny


I have my furnace set at 21 or 22 and most of the time it will stay around that temp, it usually goes down to 19 or so until it kicks back on. Sometimes though it goes down to like 15 and it still shows its calling for heat but it wont turn on. So I turn down till its below 15 then the heat display goes away and I turn it back up and it kicks on but sometimes only blows cold air for a minute then shuts off??? It -30 here so I do it again a few times till it blows hot air. Why is this. sometimes it also kicks off and on a few times and shuts off. Why please help


Answer
Just Like Genny Gum said.Also you better have you furnace checked out every year before it gets cold.If you
don't then get a carbon monoxide detector.The only other
thing to say is damm -30.Is that Fahrenheit or Celsius?
The temp here is 50 degrees Fahrenheit here in California.

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




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.




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Carbon Monoxide Detector went crazy this morning?




Mynameis


I have a new Kidde NightHawke Carbon Monoxide detector. We got it about a month ago and it has worked just fine. I live in Ohio and we are in the midst of a winter storm so we have had 5-7 inches of snow and the temp is around 5 right now. This morning as I was leaving I glanced at the CM detector as I always do and it was rising from 30 to 33 to 36. Now normally it sits at zero. I woke my husband and let him know as I left and called our furnace tech. It never went higher than 36 and eventually went back down to 0. We have gas heat, water tank is gas. Nothing else is gas in the house. We were running an a small electrical heater in the laundry room to keep the pipes from freezing, could that have caused this? What else would cause this?
The reason this concerns me so much is we have a 19 month old.



Answer
That is Dangerous.

I would keep an eye on it. If the detector is near a furnace vent I would check the detector when the furnace first comes on. Sometimes with a cracked heat exchanger it will build up some CO when heating before the blower fan comes on. That will give a rise on the reading at the start and then it goes back down as the air mixes in the house.

If you get more readings on the detector, you definitely need the furnace and water heater checked.

what causes Carbon monoxide detectors to go off?




flowerlegz


mine is going off reading a number 47
so i unplugged it then reset it
its a kidde copp 3 model
its back to 0 but i just want to know what would set it off? i have a gas fire place
what in the HOUSE CAUSES IT what can be wrong ?? fireplace? furnace? smoking? fridge/ washer/dryer? all above were not on excpet gas fire place and a smoker in the room



Answer
Do not use your gas fire until it has been checked by an engineer,carbon monoxide detectors can detect monoxide very efficiently,it only takes 0.02 of monoxide to kill you ,don`t want to alarm you but please get the fire checked at once




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Rabu, 09 April 2014

Should I Be Scared To Get A Fire At My Home?




Damian Kry


i heard that last week, a house on gage ave. Hamilton, Ontario, was caught on fire. the whole house was gone. and it was most likely caused by a gas leak. a woman had critical conditions. she is now in hospital. 2 girls 22 and 20 had escaped. (the fire started in the basement) and the mom was down there. and she was trapped. the firefighters took her out, she was pronounced dead, but she got revived. but the 2 daughters are still facing the fact that they may lose their mother. she may already be dead, im not sure. there are no updates that i can find. here's the full story: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/news/firefighters-pull-woman-from-burning-basement-1.2444018

there was more than 1 link. there should be 1 or 2 more:

http://www.thespec.com/news-story/4249527-gage-street-fire-victims-starting-from-scratch-/

keep them in your prayers.


my question is "should i be scared that my house may get a gas leak? we have insurance, but still i dont want to lose my home. homes take a while to re-build. and im just worried that "what if we have a gas leak"? should i be scared? or should i not worry? are fires rare? are gas leaks rare? how can you prevent gas leaks? how can you be sure that your house wont catch on fire? i am scared now, because they are not far. gage is only 4 or 5 streets away. and i dont wanna lose my parents. we wont have clothes, water, food, furniture, shelter. please help. i will give 15 points to who answers this question. but can you explain to me how to give 15 points to best answer? idk how too. i was scared to even go to bed, i didnt want to wake up dead. so please. if its a really good answer. i will give 20 points. anything to get me to stop thinking that my house will catch on fire...

please answer right away!!!!!
Thank You.....
15 or 20 points not too who only answers it, to the best answer.



Answer
when things like this happen it does make you stop and think
we got carbon monoxide detectors fitted when there was a news article about people succumbing to fumes

its great that you are now vigilant, but you cannot let it rule your life
make sure everything is on good working order, a gas inspection is done and up to date
and relax

Is it safe to turn a gas oven on and leave the door open for heat?

Q. My landlord wont turn the heat on in my basement floor apartment. (he has control and he has to pay utilities) but its so cold. So Ive been leaveing my stove open and its actually been helping with the heat I just wanna make sure i wont explode


Answer
Likely not. But you know there ARE laws about minimum temperature allowed. I can give them to you if you live in Ontario, or help you find them if you let me know your state/prov (send me a msg) That being said, we left our stove on alot for the same reason, though it was electric. There should be nothing wrong as the gas burns off, not fills your house... BUT
Don't leave it on all the time. I think you'd be safer to do most of your cooking in the oven and leave the door open when it cools down. Don't have it on with the door open. But if you cook something, by all means leave it open and let the house warm up. Even turn it on for a few minutes throughout the day.. but don't leave it on the whole day to heat the house.
Short periods of time should be no problem.. though you may want to get a carbon monoxide detector, and of course turn it off and open the door if you smell any gas!

Consider a space heater, though it has to be turned off when your not home.. Even candles throw alot of heat.. a couple tealights are enough to keep my room warm... If the temperature is below you're city's minimum, you can charge those things to your landlord!

(I don't know why everyone thinks it's so bad... It's not like car gas.. It's natural gas! It's very clean, and it would only be toxic if it weren't burned off... eurg, some people around here!)




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carbon monoxide?




Shelby L


I have a health condition that results in me having constant headaches, but for the last 2 weeks my husband has been complaining about headaches and was sick to his stomach last night and i got a bloody nose for the first time in 15 years this morning. i was wondering if this could be due to carbon monoxide poisioning. i know the headaches are a syptom but what about the rest? i know i should buy a test but there is a huge storm here and i don't want to drive.


Answer
if you suspect CO, then you definitely should open a few windows, at least a bit.

Also purchasing a co detector is definately a good idea, but be sure to plug it into an outlet close to the floor.

seriously, CO is definitely not something to play around with..
My uncle died from CO poisoning, started the car in the garage to get warm, and accidentally fell asleep....

So, open a window, if that helps, you should get a detector. put it near your furnace if you have one that runs on propane/natural gas.

IF it is detected, then you should get a technician to come and look at your furnace, as CO is caused by incomplete combustion, not enough air for the fire, and could also be symptom of blocked/malfunctioning flue/chimney

IF you do not have a combustion furnace, its not particularly likely that you would have alot of CO in your house.

The quick answer? open a window a bit, get some fresh air, although if its -20 C or so like it is here, dont open it to much :D

Do I need to worry about Carbon Monoxide?




.


I have a very old gas stove/oven and baked a frozen pizza in it tonight. I thought I had turned it off, but accidentally turned it the wrong way, so the oven was empty on broil for about 30 minutes. I could smell gas so I went to check and turned it off. We are able to go to bed with a window cracked, do you think we need to worry about Carbon Monoxide from the gas oven? I've never smelled it quite so strong as I did before I turned it off...


Answer
First of all, carbon monoxide detectors are not that expensive and they can and do save lives! Second, you can not smell carbon monoxide. That is why it is so deadly. People don't know they are being poisoned by it. Third, the more fuel burning appliances you have the greater the risk of one of them malfunctioning and killing you and your whole family with something that an investment of $30-$50 could have prevented. What you smelled may have been another dangerous problem, but it wasn't carbon monoxide.




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is it mandatory to have a carbon monoxide detector in a warehouse?




BLOODHOUND


My boyfriend works in a warehouse in Buffalo, NY.
His father works for National Fuel and he came into the warehouse because Joe (boyfriend) kept getting head aches.. getting dizzy and migraines.
He said that the entire warehouse was measuring at at least 75 ppm
Then he told us that when it is even 35 ppm you should get a blood test if you have been feeling symptoms.

So Joe bought a Carbon Monoxide Detecter and put it in the warehouse .. and it keeps going off non-stop.. and his boss yells at him to take it down.

Here in NY.. i know that when you buy a house.. or rent a home.. the home HAS TO HAVE a carbon monoxide detector.
What about warehouses?

Joe is going to get bloodwork done this week..
His boss is being a real jerk about it.. calling him weak.. because he goes through so much aspirin from head aches and stuff.
Should he take legal action if his boss does nothing about the Carbon Monoxide?

Any advice would really help.. thank you so much.



Answer
yes he is creating a unsafe work environment

Are gas detectors mandatory?




Scott


I just moved into a new house and was wondering if gas (from a stove) detectors are mandatory, for a landlord to put in the house. I haven't asked him yet but will soon. The reason I ask is cause 3 months ago, friends of the family died because of it. Apparantly Grandma forget to turn off the stove and the house blew off killing 4 people instantly. Shouldn't there have been some sort of device the beeps of warns if it detects gas? Got me concerned hope u guys can help. Thanks.
Yea, I feel the same way but what I should of said and meant to, if its mandatory by law
I feel the same way but what I meant if its mandatory by law.



Answer
No, it's not mandatory or even necessary. Unlike carbon monoxide, fuel gas has an odor. In fact, the only place you can get a gas sniffer is from a trades supplier. They make hand held models for service technicians and models for commercial buildings. I don't believe there is a model for residential applications. If you smell gas, you call 911. If you go away for an extended amount of time, turn the gas off,




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Selasa, 08 April 2014

Will a smoky stove set off a carbon monoxide detector?




sarah


my carbon monoxide detector went to 101 after i cooked and something was smoking on the stove for a second. the alarm on the detector never went off but i noticed the number showing up. i opened the windows and all and it finally went to 0. i have a gas heater as well.


Answer
I was snding a wooden door to fix and my carbon dio9x monitor went off, I turned my vac cleaner on another day and the seal wasnt to good and some dust came out and the carc diox monitoe went off. I think anything that causes a lack of oxigen will set them off.

will leaving a gas stove on for long time cause carbon monoxide detector to go off?




Adam





Answer
Though a proper burning natural gas flame does not produce CO, for some reason, many ovens are an exception. Perhaps because they usually have a flame spreader which the flame impinges on. So yes. That is why it is not wise to use your oven or top burners for heat. Most don't vent outside either. So not only does it put products of combustion into the room, it also is burning up the oxygen.




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Minggu, 06 April 2014

Carbon Monoxide!?!?!?




Elizabeth


I need a list of all the places carbon monoxide can leak from in the home, and why it leaks. I overreact I guess but I just want to be safe so I'm worried please help!!!
And yes I have carbon monoxide detectors.



Answer
Carbon monoxide forms when an carbon based fuel (all gas, petrol, fuel, ethanol) doesn't burn with enough oxygen to form carbon dioxide. This happens everytime you use a gas device, because the oxygen is just not concentrated enough in the local area to allow for the fuel to burn completely and leave no carbon monoxide. This is natural and not to worry about.

I imagine you're most likely to be at risk from faulty combustion devices like furnaces, gas fireplaces and heaters and spirit burners. Anything that burns gas and isn't in a well ventilated area (that's why outdoor stoves are fine, the wind just blows the carbon monoxide away) should be checked.
I stress that these products would have had to meet a certain level of quality before being sold to you - and that regular maintanence would avoid any leaks/ build up. If in doubt, consult your local firebrigade - i'm serious, they'd be glad to help, it's their job.

Where is the best place to put my carbon monoxide detector?




Flynn2


I live in a 1100 square foot condo. Living area, 2 small bedrooms downstairs. Upstairs is a master bedroom and master bath only. From the master bedroom upstairs, there is a small door that goes to the attic space. The hot water heater and inside HVAC unit are right next to each other. Nothing else in the house runs on gas at all. There is also an outlet next to the door on the inside.

Should I put the detector right next to the two appliances? Should I put it right outside of the small door or put one downstairs? I'm afraid if I put it in the attic and the CO came through the vents, the detector would be too late.

I would like to have this answered by a HVAC expert or emergency personnel. Thanks.



Answer
Install your carbon monoxide detector according to the specific manufacturers installation instructions that came with it. If you do not have the instructions or cannot find them for your unit, throw it out. Buy a new carbon monoxide detector with complete installation instructions and warranty information. The new co detector will come with the manufacturers placement recommendations for that specific product.

The Ultimate Solution; You can have a commercial alarm company come out and install a full set of fire, smoke, and carbon monoxide units that will be monitored 24/7.

Also, have a licensed Plumbing, HVAC, or Mechanical company inspect your gas appliances at least once a year.




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carbon monoxide?




SouthernBe


it only beeped once..about 10 minutes ago..should i be worried..i went to look at it and it only has one light and the light is red but it looks like it is flickering..the light is always red by the way..we have gas heat but our heat has been off for 2 months..our ac is on..where does carbon monoxide come from??


Answer
Carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless compound produced by incomplete combustion and lethal at high levels ...

The alarm points on carbon monoxide detectors are not a simple alarm level as in smoke detectors but are a concentration-time function. At lower concentrations (eg 100 parts per million) the detector will not sound an alarm for many tens of minutes. At 400 parts per million (PPM), the alarm will sound within a few minutes. This concentration-time function is intended to mimic the uptake of carbon monoxide in the body while also preventing false alarms due to relatively common sources of carbon monoxide such as cigarette smoke.

That being said ... you need to evacuate your residence ....

CO poisoning symptoms include confusion, headaches, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, etc ....

Sources may be from your water heater, chimney, etc

You need to have your home evaluated by a professional ... or at the very least have the sensor checked ...

CO poisoning symptoms include confusion, headaches, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, etc ....

Why does my carbon monoxide detector show a readout of 10 ppm?




jlrct


Let me explain better, it peaked to 10 at one point but went back down to zero, it has a "peak level" memory on it, so at some point it got up to 10 but went back down.


Answer
dont mean to be funny but its because you have a carbon monox. issue in your place, find out why...those detectors are quite sensitive but there is monox. present...good luck




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is it law a landlord in denver colorado have carbon monoxide detectors in the home?




positano


is it required by law a landlord in denver colorado install carbon monoxide detectors in a 4 plex


Answer
It is just a bill. Not a law, it has to be voted into law.

I doubt it would pass as it puts undue burden on people. If you want a detector go buy yourself one, they run about 20 bucks.

I bet this one is being lobbied by some company that manufactures the detectors, this is about greed, not peoples needs.

What are the signs of carbon monoxide in the house?




Juan F


My house's detecter just went off but I couldnt see any fire or smoke or anything like that. Its night and im afraid to sleep cause of my fear of carbon monoxide. Do you think its carbon monoxide? I dont smell anything. And my mom just took a shower and she claims that it was the hot steam is that possible?


Answer
There are no signs of carbon monoxide. It's odorless and you can't see it. That's why you need a detector. If it went off, and if it keeps going off, you should tell your mom to call poison control immediately because a carbon monoxide won't go off from H2O gas (steam). Recently there was a family in Colorado found dead in their home because of carbon monoxide poisoning. It's very dangerous. You can die from it, as it is the leading causes of poison death in the US.




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Carbon Monoxide detector beeping every 15 seconds?




hannah.


My dad had our gas logs on for a few days and ever since then our carbon monoxide detector beeps almost every time our heat comes on. Except now it's beeping every 15 seconds even after the heat's off. I'm home by myself so I'm not really sure what it's doing or what to do about it. help? :/


Answer
These detectors also beep when they are at the end of their service life.

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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can you please answer!! abt carbon monoxide!!?




Sarah


basically i woke abt an hr ago to the sound of the carbon monoxide alarm beeping! it isnt very loud and it beeps every 40 seconds. is there carbon monoxide in the house or is it just the battery????? i dont think it would b the battery cuz we just got the alarm less than 3 months ago!! please answer!! would it make a louder noise if there was carbon monoxide here?? thanks and have a great day!!!!!!!!!!


Answer
CO detectors also detect smoke. When a battery gets low the detector usually chirps once every few minutes or so. Every 40 seconds doesn't sound right, the unit may be defective, or they designed it to be more insistent when you have a low battery.

If the alarm was detecting something that needed to be announced the alarm would be beeping rapidly - continuously until the battery went dead. Since yours isn't doing that I'd have to guess it's probably safe to still be in the house.

My wife just bought a new clock. Came with a new battery. But it wasn't working. She was going to take it back but I thought why not just switch the battery. Turned out the contacts were dirty and only needed to be cleaned. Sometimes you get a defective device. I've had plenty of NEW batteries that were almost dead when I took them out of the package. Could just be you need a new battery. No telling how long that thing sat on the shelf - or even if someone bought it and decided they didn't want it any longer. Or maybe they had an old one and bought a new one then put the old one back in the box and brought it back for a refund. These ARE hard economic times and there's no telling what someone may do.

My advice is if the device is acting suspiciously (as I suspect based on the 40 second chirp) I'd think it might be time to either read the instructions or take it back for a new one.

Hope this helps.

'av'a g'day mate.

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How often should you replace your carbon monoxide alarm?




Andrea B


I moved into a new home in May of 2004 and at that time, it had brand new carbon monoxide alarms. It is a two story home. The alarm downstairs started to beep approximately every 45 seconds about 8 months so we installed new batteries, however it still beeped (please note our only gas appliance is our hot water heater in the garage). This problem continued so... I removed the battery until I could figure out what the problem was. Now the other alarm has started to beep and I just want to know for peace of mind, if there is a time frame as to when to replace the alarms.

Thanks for your continued help. I love Yahoo Answers!



Answer
Since it is a new home the Carbon Monoxide detector is also new ,I had the same problem and solved it by vacuuming the sensor because some dust got inside of it and these things are very sensitive to dust and insects alike , about replacing them according to what I have just read they recommend to change them every 3 to 5 years depending on the one that you have . I have a plug in model mine for over 10 years old and I test it from time to time to see if it's working ,if your is battery operated replace the batteries every time that you the time change occurs this way you will remember not only the time but smoke detectors and keep you and your family safe.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_monoxide_detector


Merry Christmas.




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