Carbon Monoxide Detectors: 2014-06-01

Sabtu, 07 Juni 2014

Will a carbon monoxide detector detect it in the basement?

O Sh

We have to for each in each floor of the house, but not in the basement. Will it pick it up?

Answer
Yes, carbon monoxide has a similar density to air, therefore it mixes well and placement is not much of a concern. I would add one to the basement especially if it is used as a sleeping quarter.

Are Smoke Detectors and Carbon Monoxide Detectors the same thing?

Chris(f)

there has been a lot of deaths in my city cause people got carbon monoxide poisoning so all over the news they're like "go out and buy a carbon monoxide detector!" so I went to my Wal Mart and I didn't find any. I found a bunch of smoke detectors but I already have 1 installed in my home, and then it dawned on me...maybe it's the same thing! Well is it?
if they're not the same thing, where can I buy one?
I checked Wal Mart, Target, Home Depot and some hardware shops

Answer
No Carbon monoxide detectors are not usually combined with smoke detectors also the placement of carbon monoxide detectors are crucial you. Usually you can find the kind that plugs into a outlet and you want it near a supply vent.

You can also usually go to the local fire dept and inquire about carbon monoxide detectors. Around here they usually give them out free.

We offer free carbon monoxide detectors with every furnace install. Also it is something I suggest for every furnace PM I do the cost is about $25.00 to $40.00 depending on the one the customer wants.

Check Johnstone or another HVAC supply house if you cant find one at Wal Mart, Home Depot, or Lowes.

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!)

What do you do to save money?

circa 1980

I'm inspired to ask this from an episode of Oprah today. Supposedly one lady saved $200/month on her electric bill, simply by unplugging EVERYTHING not in use!
What are some things you do? At home? Grocery shopping? Saving on gas...etc?

Answer
I use a Kill-A-Watt meter to measure how much each electricity plugged-in device in my home uses. This meter measures watts of power used at a given moment, as well as kilowatt hours used over time. I found out that my coffee maker uses 2 watts constantly just because it's plugged in, my cable modem and router each use 15 watts constantly, my printer another 40 watts, and so on. All told I think I found around 300 watts worth of electricity that was being burned 24x7, which over the course of a month, assuming you're paying $0.10 per kilowatt hour (which was my rate at the time), adds up to $21.60 per month. I switched a plug-in carbon monoxide detector to a battery-powered one; lowered the brightness on a clock radio to its minimum setting; unplugged the DVD player and television, and only plug them in when in use (which in our house is only about twice a week for a couple of hours); and put the computer equipment on a second power bar, so I can have just the desktop computer on (one power bar), or just the router, modem, and printer on (other power bar) to access from my laptop, or both.

I also measured fridge and freezer power consumption with the Kill A Watt meter and then measured the temperature inside the fridge and freezer to make sure they weren't too cold. Turns out my kids had accidentally turned the fridge freezer setting down to about -20F, way too cold! So I adjusted that as well.

All told we were able to lower our electricity consumption by perhaps 4 kilowatt hours a day, to an extremely low 8-9 kwh, which is about a quarter to a fifth of what the average family uses in my area (province of Ontario Canada). We never paid anywhere near $200 a month for electricity, so we couldn't possibly save that much, but I would guess that someone paying over $200 in electricity could probably save three quarters of it by understanding where their energy is being used and by saving as much as possible.

I've tried to share some of my insights about saving energy with a little website I've developed, links to relevant articles provided below. Also a link to a site covering the kill-a-watt meter. Hope you find them useful.

My carbon monoxide detector keeps beeping? PLEASE HELP?

Lauren

I'm at my friends house and it keeps beeping and everyones asleep so what does that mean us there carbon monoxide?? What would the alarm sound like if it was?

Answer
The answer about carbon monoxide taking hours to kill is wrong, irresponsible, and potentially deadly.

In heavy concentrations, it takes only a few minutes to kill. Try this experiment...hold your breath for say, 10 minutes. When the 10 minutes is up, come back here and tell us how you are feeling.

You didn't make it to 10 did you? You didn't make it to 5. No one can hold their breath that long because we need a constant supply of oxygen(O2).

Worse yet, carbon monoxide (CO) doesn't just not provide O2, it displaces O2. Not only are you not getting that needed oxygen, but the CO is bonding to the red cells in your blood as if it was O2. That means that the blood thinks it has enough O2, but it is getting none. That results in death.

Now, the detector. Is it a very short beep about once a minute or a constant beeping? The short beep means the battery needs to be replaced. The constant beeping means it thinks there is a CO problem.

If constant beeping, either it is a unit malfunction OR you got everyone up and someone figured out the problem OR you are all dead. I hope it is the first choice, that is fairly common. Please report back here.

carbon monoxide?

SouthernBe

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 ....

What is this loud beep in the house?Fire Alarm?

OWL

Every about five minutes a loud quick beep hurt my ears,I think I once heard that it might be the fire alarms low on battery can it be this? I heard it in many other houses too.like my Grampa's House and friend's houses.What can this be?It's driving me NUTS!

Answer
READ EVERY WORD FIRST, ALL OF THEM, PLEASE!!!!
Well that's an easy one, I am assuming you are young since you reference Grandpa. Note the beep has to be from something electronic Possible sources: Burglar Alarm company backup battery to the main system is weak, the remotely located wireless window/door sensors have batteries that when dead make the Alarm console beep.

A smoke detector is likely. I have some that mount directly to the wall and some to a bracket that is mounted and you turn the "front" of the detector CCW or CW to remove from the bracket. You need to know if the smoke/fire alarm is a battery unit (CLUE: IF YOU CAN TAKE IT OFF WHERE ITS MOUNTED AND IF IT HAS NO WIRE INTO THE WALL/CEILING ITS BATTERY, NOW TURN IT OVER TO THE "WALL SIDE", MAYBE THERE IS A VISIBLE 9V BATTERY COMPARMENT SPOT RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU), if not it might be a open the cover unit, so, open the cover by looking, AND THEN LOOKING AGAIN, you might have to pry a "tab" or unscrew a screw before opening, when you see the 9v battery you will be half done, (if YOU DON'T ABSOLUTELY KNOW WHAT A 9V BATTERY LOOKS LIKE STOP SEE TEST BUTTON BELOW). PLEASE don't mess with the "120" volt smoke detector, call the company if it's the "beeper" [all non battery smoke detectors may not be "120" volt but they may be 12-24 volt AC or DC so they still might be dangerous] (I say that more for those who might nitpick me).

If it really beeps every five minutes it wont hurt to pull the 9volt battery and wait 7 minutes. TEST SECTION: If you can't wait, be brave, re-read above and extract the battery, put the 9v battery to your tongue, if it mildly tingles it's a dead battery, if it smarts put it back in and wait the "5" minutes. NOTE YOU CAN'T DIE FROM THIS EXCEPT MAYBE IF YOU HAVE A PACEMAKER OR BUILT-IN HEART DEFIBRILLATOR SO THOSE FOLKS DON'T "TONGUE" IT.

Or best of all, get a volt meter from an electronics pal. 9 volts minus 1.8=7.2 volts = battery no good (if the battery is low by 20% its dead, this even applies with 6 volt, 1.5volt etc.( -20% is my guide for alkaline batteries),

Also if you are afraid just press the TEST BUTTON, on the smoke detector, if it has one, buy a new one if it doesn't have a test button, its too old or the owner was too frugal. [IF IT WONT SOUND OFF UNDER TEST ITS DEAD, IF IT DOES SOUND THEN YOU CAN NOW KNOW IF ITS "YOUR BEEP"] Now identify if its a 9v battery by taking it gently off its mount or bracket mount also see above again. See the test section if you feel braver.

If you succeed in removal AND REPLACE THE 9V note that I put all my detectors on a wall AS CLOSE to the ceiling on a 3-4 inch bread twist tie or better "wire" to a screw or thumb tack [ yes it looks fine if you do it right] for easy removal of batteries and no loss of sensitivity. Generally smoke rises driven by the heat, so the closer to the ceiling the better.
(this wire mount idea is at your discretion, I'm sure some fire guy is gonna disagree but in my experience of an actual house fire in 1987 with the detectors mounted as such, they saved my sleeping wife and cat!)

Check for a carbon monoxide detector and again make sure its not "120" volt, press the test button. A UPS on your computer with a near dead battery makes beeps. A medical device for "Gramps" may be at fault. a cell phone or cordless home phone beeps when near dead. A microwave or new fridge with the door open can beep. An AC alarm clock can beep when its 9volt battery gets weak.. Get the common thread?

If after all that you can't isolate it, invite some other young folks over for sodas, [statistically better at hearing high pitched beeps] put the battery back in the smoke detector and have the young'uns stand at different parts around the seeming sound area to pinpoint the beep. Keep in mind that some beeps are so foxy that they are like a ventriloquist and "throw their voices" so move around like musical chairs till every one agrees. Need I say more?? Good Luck! WHEW

I have a logic 4 alarm.in my house its never been switched on but all night its been letting out beeps ?

Sara

I dnt no how to stop it

Answer
Battery or batteries must have been getting old even with it not switched on. I betcha it would stop beeping if you replaced the battery or batteries. If you care about your sleep, replace the batteries. Otherwise, it's going to wake you up.

I have both smoke detector & carbon monoxide detector that came with the rental house. Had to replace batteries in one in the middle of the night. The other started beeping off & on a few months later. Tester showed batteries were okay, but still it kept beeping off & on. Slept with windows open & was quite fearful due to warnings all over detector that I should leave house & so on. Finally, figured out how to open it & went ahead & replaced batteries. It's fine now with no more beeping. That gives me the general rule of thumb. If it beeps & there's no fire, replace batteries. If it's a carbon monoxide detector, you can leave the house & call the fire dept. to check it out like the box says, or you can gamble on it & open the windows & run the ceiling fans in the dead of winter in case it's really carbon monoxide. If no more beeps, forget it. It's fine.

Carbon monoxide detectors?

Ash1227

My carbon monoxide detector chirps once every min or so, the light will flash red once in awhile which means battery power is getting to it. Will it still detect carbon monoxide until my husband gets home tonight to replace the pack that goes in it, or should i be concerned?
I know there isn't a carbon monoxide leak because this has been doing it for a week when I turn it on. The instructions say it is a normal noise for when the battery is dieing, I want to know if it will still work while it is cherping.

Answer
Mine continues to operate while it is chirping to tell you that the battery is low. It is when it stops chirping that the unit will not and cannot detect carbon monoxide. At least that is what the instruction manual that came with mine says.

Fire Alarm/ Carbon Monoxide detector goes off almost everyday at the same time need some advice.....?

Nisi

I have two Universal Security Instruments 9 Volt Battery Operated Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarms and everyday at the same time they go off. They'll go off a few times and then stop. Does anyone know how to reset them and keep them off? I had talked to someone about this before and he just told me to keep on resetting them but I have kids that take naps and these things just blare, again it is everyday at the exact same time and I have no owners manual to go with them because they were here when I moved in.
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&productId=100661937&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&PID=1319015&cm_mmc=CJ-_-shopping_com-_-D27X-_-100661937&URL=http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/BuildLinkToHomeDepot?linktype=product&id=100661937&cm_mmc=CJ-_-shopping_com-_-D27X-_-100661937&cpncode=18-33332026-2&AID=10368321&cj=true&srccode=cii_13736960

This is the link to the exact model
I changed the batteries but I was told they were just for backup. I always check to see if something is burning, but my smoke detector doesn't go off, it is the carbon monoxide detector and once I reset it, it stays off (well after the 3rd or 4th reset) and it stays off until the exact same time the next day.

Answer
I had a Carbon Monoxide detector that did that. Not regularly though. The last straw was one summer, no furnace on, the windows wide open, no vehicles idling near the house. I disconnected it. In your case I suggest you buy new ones, including the smoke alarm. You don't know what kind of treatment they got before you moved in.

Jumat, 06 Juni 2014

Brand New Carbon Monoxide alarm beeping randomly?

Jeanbean06

I just had my heater fixed and the guy gave me a free CO detector, but about three days later it started beeping randomly. i thought it was signaling carbon monoxide so i got out of the house and let it air out but the alarm stopped pretty quickly anyway. But two days after that i had an actual carbon monoxide problem from a car, and the beep it does for that is different. When it goes off randomly (which it does almost every day) it beeps once, waits about thirty seconds, then beeps again. I can press the reset button and after a little fiddling it will stop. I dont know why it would be doing that if it is brand new and just installed.

Answer
Could be one of a few different problems, depending of what kind of CO Detector you received. Some detectors just plug into a standard electrical outlet (with a battery back-up). Another kind is just battery operated. The third kind would be hooked up to a household alarm system (I doubt this is the case since you received the detector from a furnace repair company). I would first replace the battery (usually it is a 9 volt style). If that does not fix the problem, call the company that gave you the detector, advise them that the unit appears to be faulty, and ask them to replace it (at their cost for giving you a faulty item).

Smoke Detector Problem? Driving me nuts!!!?

Q. My smoke detector in my hallway has been going off for NO reason. No smoke, no nothing. I'm sure its a smoke detector and not a carbon monoxide detector. Three weeks ago it started to go off, and then it stopped. Today it went off with a single beep. A few minutes later, it emitted three beeps, then one. It just goes off at random times and is annoying the crap out of me. Can anyone tell me the problem?

Answer
If it is a hardwired unit, it may need a vacuuming. Smoke detector's don't last longer than I think it's 7 or 8 years. There is something in it that wears out. Sorry, it's been awhile. Take down the unit and take it to an electrical supply store and ask them for a compatible unit. Then reinstall. Actually, you should replace all the smoke detectors if they are the same age and hardwired.

Kamis, 05 Juni 2014

Fire alarm malfunction?

Jess1727

My kiddie alarm smoke/carbon monoxide detector had a low battery alarm. Upon replacing the battery and reattaching the wire, the alarm goes off continuously, setting off the same hallway alarm, and finally the 3 bedroom alarms. Pressing the button did nothing, finally I had to disconnect both kiddie alarms and remove the batteries to stop the "fire fire" alarms.
Is it possible both alarms are malfunctioning? Are any replacement alarms wired the same as the kiddie?

Thanks!

Answer
Maybe it a malfunction of the low battery warning. How old are the alarms?

â LOW BATTERY: When the batteries are low and
need replacing the red LED light will flash and the
unit will âchirpâ one time, followed by the warning
message âLOW BATTERYâ. This cycle will occur once
every minute for the first hour. After the first hour
the red LED light will continue to flash every minute
accompanied by the âchirpâ only sound. The voice
message âLOW BATTERYâ will sound once every
fifteen minutes during the âchirpâ only cycle.
This will continue for at least seven days.
â¢ One âchirpâ every 30 seconds is an indication that
the alarm is malfunctioning. If this occurs call the
Consumer Hotline at 1-800-880-6788.
â¢ After seven (7) years of cumulative power up, this unit
will âchirpâ twice every 30 seconds. This is an
"operational end of life" feature which will indicate
that it is time to replace the alarm.

Kidde Combination Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm
http://www.kidde.com/Documents/um%20intelligent%20alarm%20english.pdf

Have we got carbon monoxide?

Anon

We have had a carbon monoxide alarm for years and it has never been used, recently had a family friend pass away due to carbon monoxide poisoning. So I'm really worried. I don't think my mum is well mentally and now is saying oh ill sort it etc etc and doesnt understand people DIE from this, so I'm having to take things on myself and try look after us both. I put some new batteries in the alarm and it started beeping really loud straight away right in my ear so I took it out, I am going to get our local council or something to look at it this week but I just want peace of mind for now, is it just beeping in general or have we got carbon monoxide? (I only put the last battery in for a second it beeped really loud then I took it out). Because we are aren't able to support ourselves financially heating etc she uses the gas burners to heat the house (around 4-7 years) but I put a stop to it about a month ago, but yesterday the gas went back on!!

Answer
I'd buy a new alarm . . . . . . carbon monoxide is produced by combustion: a car engine in attached garage, a clogged chimney - or Yes, burning the gas burners continually. "Not well mentally" is scary, whether it's the result of age - or breathing carbon monoxide. Sounds like you should buy her a small electric heater for the area she normally sits . . . so she won't turn on the gas.

what is everything you need when it comes to things for your baby excluding diapers,clothes,formula, ETC?

Briona

Answer
For bathing:
-Baby towel
-soft brush (for if they have hair)
-baby lotion
-baby soap (more for when they are a little older)
-infant bath tub (or a sink works fine)
-washcloths

Changing:
-Diapers
-wipes
-Rash cream
-small changing pads
-Diaper disposer

Feeding (for breast feeding):
-Breast pads
-breast pump
-burp cloths
-pacifier (I didn't use one because I didn't want them to form that habit)
-nipple cream
-bottles an nipples (even if you are breast feeding)

Feeding (formula):
-obviously formula
-bottles and nipples
-water (be sure its safe)
-bottle warmer
-Bottle brush, buy a few because in my experience they don't last for long.

Feeding after 6 months:
-Bib
-baby spoons - plastic coated ones are the best
-sippy cup - I like the ones with handles for first time drinkers
-baby food and cereal also plain mashed potato flakes are easy to fix and cheap
-Juice
-High Chair

Sleeping:
-Crib
-receiving blankets
-sheets (at least two in case baby throws up or something)
-baby monitor (I like the Angelcare - Deluxe Movement Sensor with Sound Monitor Angelcare -Deluxe Movement Sensor with Sound Monitor we bought the 2 parent monitor yes it is expensive but it is wonderful!)
-sleep suits
-waterproof mattress pads

Car basics:
-Car seat (I had mine installed at the fire station for safety)
-sun screen for the car window
-If you want you could buy one of those baby mirrors
-It helps if you keep a few extra supplies in your car just in case you forget something ;)

clothes - don't buy too many you will receive a lot of 0-3 month clothes at your baby shower
- If you get too many which you probably will take them back and buy a bigger size. Figure out how old your child will be the next time the season comes around and buy that size
- pajamas - buy lots of these, 4 to 6 pairs, because they are easy to change and keep your newborn warm
-socks (LOTS OF THEM!!!!)
-onesies
-Warmer sweater or fleece shirts are great for winter
-Hat

Great extras:
-swing - some children love these and some don't
-stroller - I used to take my son on walks for exercise.
-bassinet - this is nice because you can keep the baby closer for the first month
- rocking chair - babies love the rocking motion
-Teething ring (more for when your baby is older.)
-Pack and Plays are amazing for when you travel!
-Car seat & Stroller toys

Medical supplies/safety:
-thermometer - I prefer digital thermometers over mercury ones.
-infant ibuprofen, Tylenol, or both - You don't want to be running to the drugstore when your child is sick.
-teething tablets
-nail clippers - the scissor kind is worthless, get small clippers that look like adult ones
-fire alarm
-carbon monoxide detector
-safety gates
-outlet covers
-toilet seat latches
-stove and oven guards
-Cabinet & drawer latches
-Bumpers (for sharp cornered objects)
-Nasal aspirator
-saline drops

Things for in your diaper bag----
-cell phone (I have a cheap prepaid one in case of an emergency)
-change of clothes (for you and your baby)
-6-8 diapers
-travel container of wipes
-changing pad
-ziplock bags for soiled clothing and diaper disposal
-rash cream
-hand sanitizer
-first aid kit
-extra hats, mittens and, socks
-blanket teething ring
-a couple of toys
-burp cloths
-an index card with your phone number and your hubby's and your pediatrician or any other important numbers
-Suction Bulb for Nose/Saline Drops/Kleenex
-Baby Medications (Fever Reducer, Teething Ointment, Etc.)

As you can see it is A LOT of stuff!!! Hope this helps!

Your new baby shopping list?

Jamaican P

What does your new baby shopping list look like? Include books too

Answer
Baby Gear
Stroller
Soft carrier
Backpack carrier
Rear-facing car seat
Portable crib
Playpen
Stroller cup holder
Car seat head support
Travel booster seat
Sunshade
Bouncer seat
Swing
Rattles
Gym or play mat
Jumper
Mobile for nursery

Nursery
Crib or bassinet
Waterproof crib liner
Crib mattress
Mattress pad (2)
Fitted sheets
Crib bedding set
Crib blankets
Crib lights
Receiving blankets
Changing table
Changing pads
Rocking chair or gliding rocker
Ottoman or nursing stool
Hamper
Nursery monitor
Mobile

Safety
Baby monitor
Safety gate
Nightlights
Carbon monoxide detector
Outlet covers
Corner covers
Doorknob covers
Cabinet locks
Toilet seat locks
Baby harness
Fireplace cover

Diapering
Diapers
Diaper bag
Diaper pail and liners
Rash ointment and powders
Wipes
Travel pack wipes

Clothing/Layette (for newborn to 6 months)
Pullover T-shirts
Side-snap T-shirts
Bodysuits
Sleeping gowns or stretchies
Footed rompers
Top and pant sets
Mittens
Blankets
Baby laundry detergent
Lightweight cotton sweaters
Booties and socks
Shoes (2 pairs)
Snowsuit
Warm hats
Baby hangers

Bath
Infant tub
Tub splash seat
Baby wash
Baby lotion
Baby oil
Baby shampoo
Bath toys
Tub toy pouch

Feeding
Plastic bottles
(4 and 8 oz.), nipples
and nipple covers
Bottle sterilizer
Bottle liners
Breast pads, shields and cream
Nursing bras (4)
Nursing shirts (2)
Breast pump kit
Lap pads and burp cloths
Nursing pillow
Case(s) of formula
Bibs (6-10)
Teethers
Feeding spoons (4)
Training (spill-proof)
cups (3-4)
High chair
Pacifiers
Dishwasher-safe nipples
Bottle drying rack
Bowls
Bottle brush
Bottle warmer
High chair splat mat
Dishwasher nipple basket
Travel formula dispenser
Milk storage bags
Gas relief drops

Hope this helps!! :))

Why would the carbon monoxide reading be highest where there's no fuel source?

Mozz

Everyoneâs fine, itâs in the caution range, and everyoneâs O2 is fine. Why is it highest where thereâs no fuel source? The reading is a 6 at the furnace and wood stove, and all of downstairs, and a 9 in the kitchen and bedrooms. (The stove is electric.)

The alarms went off in this order: laundry room (downstairs), the kitchen (up), and the furnace one (down) didnât go off until 2:00 this morning. Wood stove was never running. Well it is now, I turned off the furnace. But it was never running when all this happened.

The oil burner is dirty and heâs fixing that. Is that the beginning and end of this? Why wouldnât it be higher by the furnace? Is it a heat-rises thing? We have an attached garage but it wasnât that.
Would a long exposure to low levels reveal itself in an O2 reading? Everyone's O2 is at 98%.

Answer
These type of problems are always difficult to solve on the other end of a computer screen. A site visit by a professional HVAC tech with a combustion analyzer and trouble shooting skills or a well trained energy auditor would be recommended.

For HVAC companies I would look for IHACI, ACCA, ASHRAE, and NATE trade association

BPI is a national organization that focuses on CAZ or combustion zone testing for energy auditors and contractors.Many HERS Raters are also trained in these procedures.

My guess would be a cracked heat exchanger which would mean you need to replace the furnace. The unit produces CO but should not mix with conditioned air. A cracked heat exchanger can cause this and would explain why you have higher readings away from the unit.

It is also possible that your unit distributed the CO through the return air (air going into furnace) throughout the homes supply (air coming out of registers). The return air from the rooms was weaker due to pressure imbalances having the CO sit in those rooms and produce higher level readings

The alarm might have tripped when the unit was not running because your furnace was mixing the air.Once the mixing ceased the air might have settled and the alarm tripped

A test should be done on the flue gas of the furnace.

A test should be done to qualify your draft.

forget about the O2 reading your concern is the CO reading. Certainly an entire household in the 6-9 range is unacceptable.

You should be glad you had these sensors as CO is a silent killer and has been associated at low levels with a whole host of health issues.

Good luck

Monitor 40 ... I have two of these heaters in my home. What maintenance is required before I fire them up?

NEWTOME

They've been off all summer (I didn't turn off the pump, though). I use K1 fuel. My fuel supplier said it's not worth having someone come out and inspect them 'cause there's always big bills for replacement parts, more than the heaters are worth. Besides vacuuming the dust off, is there anything else I can/should do to ensure a safe heating season? Thanks!

Answer
First off, make sure that you have a carbon monoxide monitor/alarm in the room where you have these heaters. Then at least if combustion gases are leaking you will be warned before CO levels get fatally high.

These heaters are pretty reliable and rugged. If it ran o.k. last season then chances are it should operate reasonably well this season. In addition to vacuuming the dust you should look for leaks at fuel fittings and use a flexible mirror to look for obvious corrosion, cracks, holes, etc. in the burner area.

There are several things that should be maintained, inspected and adjusted at least every 3 and 6 years so depending on when you had the last inspection you may want to do one or more of the following things. Many of them require special tools and instruments so you'll have to decide if you call in someone to do it or not.

Check bearings, clean all fans, clean pwb board/check wire connections, clean cabinet, clean grill, clean drip pan, clean strainer, check for debris, check flame detective plug, air flow check with special Manometer guages, set air to fuel ratio.

Some things that may need to be replaced:
Combustion Burner Pot Assembly
Combustion Burner Ring
Front Chamber gasket
Filter cartridge at tank
Flame detective plug packing
Damper o-ring
Small and Large O-ring at exhaust flue
O-gasket for ignitor
Combustion chamber gasket at Base
Heater Cover packing

Selasa, 03 Juni 2014

Testing a Carbon Monoxide Detector?

Andy Johns

Is there a way i can test my Carbon Monoxide detector without any special equipment? Like you would by burning something near a smoke detector.

It has a test button but that just tests the alarm part, not the sensors.

Answer
Hold it by your car exhaust. Or if it is attached to the ceiling you can capture some exhaust from the car into a plastic bad and release it under the detector.

Where/how to put carbon monoxide detector in a small bedroom?

sam

I have a gas heater in my very small bedroom (my room is only 12x12x 8 feet), and have been trying to put carbon monoxide alarm there. But every time I put and leave the alarm for only 5 minutes in the room, the alarm sounds. I believe it sounds because the alarm is less than 15 feet from the gas heater.

Is there anybody who has idea how to solve this problem? Where and how am I supposed to put the alarm to detect carbonmonoxide in my small bedroom? Thanks a lot.

Answer
You should get your room tested by a professional for carbon monoxide. The alarm is designed to detect the presence of CO (carbon monoxide) and it's detecting it. Since you're living in the same area the alarm is in, you're being exposed to that CO. Don't mess around - many, many people have died in their sleep from CO poisoning.

Some causes of CO generation are caused by the exhaust gasses no being vented properly (blocked chimney), or blocked source of fresh air. Both these situations can kill you. Call a certified heating and cooling guy. Do you really trust life and death questions to anonymous people who have no qualifications to answer those types of questions?

on a nighthawk detector what numbers are considered unsafe?

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.

What are the first effects of high Carbon monoxide on a bird?

Chase's Mo

My grandmother has both a cockatiel and I'm not sure what the other bird is - its very small with Bright colors and is not the type of bird you bring out to play.
Anyway when I walked in to her house ( she is not home) the carbon monoxide tester was going off. It continued to go of beeping 4 times every 60 sec ( meaning that there is supposedly a high level) until I reset it. Well that was at least 30 min ago and it hasn't gone off again.

I read somewhere that a bird is the first to feel effects from carbon monoxide so I thought I would keep an eye on them but I don't really know what I am looking for.. does anyone else know what to look for?

Answer
Miners used to take a canary down to the pits with them to detect carbon monoxide. Your gran's other bird sounds like a finch.The signs that it is present is basically a bird lying on the bottom of the cage with it's feet in the air (sorry to be tactless!)

Are you sure the persistant deeping isn't a sign of the batteries needing changed - my smoke detector does that. It is curious that i hasn't went off again, whether it was low battery or high carbon monoxide levels. Are you sure you reset it or did you switch it off. I'm sorry if it sounds like I am making you out to be stupid but I am just trying to figure out why it wouldn't go off again?

good luck

I have a logic 4 alarm.in my house its never been switched on but all night its been letting out beeps ?

Sara

I dnt no how to stop it

Senin, 02 Juni 2014

Would I know if I had carbon monixide poisoning?

Chris

I know it's unlikely, but about a year ago I woke up feeling sick out of it, loopy, and had ongoing headaches, this has been less intense and more bearable than it had been in the past year, I came across carbon monoxide poisoning and questioned if that was a possibility. I smoked weed the night before so maybe anxiety of depression was triggered and I hadn't smoked since.

Answer
If you have a worry about carbon monoxide although it is quite rare unless you have a faulty gas heater nearby then get a detector. They are quite reasonably priced these days.

If I haven't used my wood stove in over a week, can it still put off carbon monoxide?

megrwest

I haven't burnt a fire in our stove in over a week. But, I haven't been feeling well the last few days. I went to the doctor today and she said she could smell smoke on me and wanted to check me for carbon monoxide. Today is friday and I won't know anything until monday. I am kinda worried.

Answer
I really doubt the coals would still be smoldering, but if you have any concerns what so ever, I would go to the local hardware store and buy a Carbon Monoxide detector. You could even call the fire dept. and see if they would recommend any particular model or brand. Whatever the price, it is well worth the peace of mind knowing that if the gas is present, that you would be alerted to it.

Cost to install hardwired smoke and carbon monoxide detectors?

What's an average price to pay for an electrician to install 2 hardwired smoke detectors and 1 carbon monoxide detector in a small single family house in Baltimore, MD. Price should include parts...my property manager just had this done and is "fighting the bill" without even letting me know what they are even trying to charge. I just want to have some insight into what a fair licensed electrician would charge before I have to have this fight with him.
I wasn't there when they installed them so I'm not sure how long it took, but I know they were done in a day. $150/hr is insane .... They installed them in places that didn't have detectors so I'm assuming they had to run new wire.

Answer
The answer would depend on if he used existing wiring or had to string new wiring as an electrician charges by the hour. Hoe long did it take him to finish it from start to finish.

Also if he is in a union the cost will be higher. Take the time he used and multiply it by his hourly fee which is probably about $150. An hour plus the cost of anything he used like the wires, marettes and the unit being installed.

Would I know if I had carbon monixide poisoning?

Chris

Answer
If you have a worry about carbon monoxide although it is quite rare unless you have a faulty gas heater nearby then get a detector. They are quite reasonably priced these days.

my carbon monoxide alarm beeped?

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??
mine is first alert model fcd2np...the date on the back says nov.15th 2005...i dont think it runs off batteries..and it may not have been the carbon monoxide it could have been the fire alarm..i am waiting to hear another beep so i will know..

Answer
Carbon monoxide comes from an open flame. If you had a gas furnace, generator, or other item that ran on natural gas, propane, diesel, gasoline, etc, it would be putting out carbon monoxide as exhaust.

Your monitor only beeped once in ten minutes, its telling you its time to change the battery, most likely. You should change the CO detector battery whenever you change your smoke alarm battery. I change ours whenever we change daylights savings time... so, once in spring, once in fall.

If you kept the papers that came with the monitor, it should tell you what the different beeps are for. Some units have it on the label on the detector, so you might be able to pull it down and look.

If it was detecting CO it would be a continuous beeping, not once in ten minutes.

Remember to change your detectors (smoke and CO) about every 5 years too, because they do wear out.

Have Fun

My carbon monoxide alarm beeped?

Brendon

Pleasee heeelp!!!!
My monoxide barbon detector beeped... It started beeping the night before last night, 1. Beep ever minute i guess, then i pressed the reset button and it stopped. Last night, same thing . And today, it beeped 4 beeps every 5 seconds(it says on the back thats the carbon alarm!! I changed the batteries, now it seems to be ok... Whay should i do ??
The dector is new!! I have it for like, 2 years, or something ....
But later it was beeping 4 beeps every 5seconds, the thing says when this happens, its because it feels the carbon monoxide =/

Answer
change the battery's, get a new one could be a defect, if still keeps beeping call 911 or your local gas company

Carbon monoxide?

dpooch

Is it heavy or light should dector be mounted high in a space or low.... Thanks

Answer
Carobon Monoxide detectors should be mounted on the ceiling. I had ones that plugged into the outlet near the floor, and they worked just fine(probably saved the lives of me and my children). But they should be on or near the ceiling if possible.

Carbon Monoxide Detector upstairs, i live downstairs?

Donavon

i have a gas heater i put in my room last night. im worried im gonna get carbon monoxide poisoning. we have a detector, but its all the way upstairs, and i live downstairs. if its coming from my heater in my room, wouldnt it effect me before it reached the detector upstairs?

Answer
Carbon monoxide is heavier than air. The detector should be placed near ground level on the lowest occupied floor of the house. It's good to have one per floor, but if you only have one, it should be at the lowest occupied level because that is where the highest concentrations of gas will pool -- and you want the earliest warning possible. It should be near the floor for the same reason. If the heater is in your room, the detector should be in the room or the adjacent hallway. There are combination smoke/CO detectors but smoke detectors need to be near the ceiling and CO detectors need to be near the floor. Combination detectors are most appropriate for staircase landings, etc. in between floors of larger houses.
.
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Carbon Monoxide Detector upstairs, i live downstairs?

Donavon

carbon monoxide detectors?

Prevaricat

My CO monitor beeps randomly from time to time. Is this normal? I assume that if I did have a CO problem, it wouold beep like crazy. As is, it beeps only a few times every now and then. Should I be concerned?

Answer
1) You may have a battery issue. All detectors that operate on batteries or have battery back-up will CHIRP occasionally to remind you that the battery needs to be replaced. The battery may be low on voltage or it no longer can take a "load' to operate the device.

2) You my have a dirty detector. Sometimes the CHIRPING may continue even after replacing the battery. Use a vacuum cleaner to suck out the dust that accumulates over time. Take your time and do a thorough job.

3) You my have a bad detector. Smoke and CO detectors do not last forever. They should be replaced if 10 years old or more.

Note: Smoke and CO detector batteries should be replaced at least once a year. Don't get into a lazy habit of waiting until it CHIRPS to replace it. A good rule of thumb is to replace all detector & alarm batteries when the clocks are changed for Day Light Saving Time.

Always use name brand Alkali batteries, bargain batteries are not a good idea in this application.

All detectors & alarms are designed with "smart" technology. Listen to what they're telling you and don't ignore the warning signals. They can't save your life if they're not working.

Carbon Monoxide Detector wont stop beeping?

Cici

im dog sitting for my neighbors and thier dogs got sprayed by a skunk last night so i took emidate action and kept them outside and washed them. They dont smell anymore (except for one dogs ear) but the smell came into the house so i used TONS of Glade and Febreeze spray and order eliminator for the carpets and furniture. About 1 hr late the Carbon Monoxide Detector went off and has not stopped so im wondering if from the sprays? is this possible and what should i do. I have the windows open, doors open and fans on. I plugged the detector back in and about 10 15 min later it went off again. Should i just wait it out alittle longer?

Answer
Well im really not sure that glade and febreeze can ruin the sensor in the detector but it could be possible. But on the chance that there is a problem keep the windows open and buy another detector. If that one starts going off I would call your local fire dept they will come out and find the source of CO. Good Luck

Why does my carbon monoxide detector keep beeping?

MirandaT

2 days ago my detector started a slow beep every 30 seconds. I has no idea what was going on & turned the heater off & opened the windows. It stopped after about 10mon & I thought I solved the problem. Then yesterday it did it again! I did the same process over & even pushed the test/silence button to make it stop. I called & was told that it was a low battery that needed to be changed, So I went & bought new ones to exchange with the old. Again, I thought I solved the problem. Now, only 8 hours after purchasing new batteries the slow beeping has started up again!! I don't know what to do?? The heater hasn't been on since the first incident yesterday & the windows are still open. What should I do?!

Answer
What I would suggest is to try new batteries, If that fails, then put a different detector in same area and see if it happens with that one. If not, its safe to say you have a faulty detector. However, if it too goes off then there is always a possibility that you have a monoxide problem. Hope this helps.

Minggu, 01 Juni 2014

Rented Accomidation Carbon Monoxide Compensation?

McUK

Well.. Long story short.. I got called from work from my letting agent to be told that there are high amount of Carbon monoxide coming out my house. So much that it set of the carbon monoxide alarm in the flat upstairs!
The reading on the meter reading came out at 99,999 ppm and a considered high is 50ppm. I was told if i was asleep i wouldve died!

Few days in a hotel which have been paid by the landlord, The engineer has said that there was a fault from the boiler and as the flue was covered in plants that it trapped the co2 and went through my en-suite extractor fan and entered the house!

My doctor has said i have had high levels of Co2 in my system and has been recorded on my medical record. Apart from the landlord paying for my hotels would i be entitled to any compensation or anything because of this? Considering i nearly died!

I look forward to your response.

Answer
Only your medical costs if those were not covered by insurance.
Sorry, but you need to actually die or be disabled in some way in order to cash in on this event.

You didn't nearly die. You could have become ill and I suppose died, but you didn't. Courts don't award damages for "what ifs", they only award damages for what you incurred as the result of someone elses negligence.

Carbon Monoxide Detector - Peak Level Reading Question?

Alex

I have the Kidde KN-COPP-3 detector and I'm having a little trouble figuring out how it's operating.

So far I have not had any alarms go off, and I always get a reading of zero. However, today when I came home I had the "Err" error message displayed, and when I tested the Peak Level Memory it came up as "999." When I test now, however, the unit is reading "0".

How can it be possible that I have had a 999ppm reading and the alarm never went off? Could this be due to the error that was displayed today? The unit was safely plugged in when I checked, my only guess for what might have happened was a brief power surge/outage but my neighbors are saying they didn't have anything of that sort.

Just concerned and wondering what this machine is trying to tell me. I'm looking for a customer service number so I can check it myself.

(For reference, I'm not currently nor have I recently experienced any symptoms of C.O. poisoning, but for safety's sake I've opened my windows and done several Tests on the unit.)

Answer
Check you peak reading often, but 999 would be so lethal. I've heard anything more then 100 for a few minutes can be fatal. Most likely it was apart of your err. message. Mine reads a peak sometimes around 16, but the only time i've seen err or high numbers is when the battery is dead, and changing the battery/resetting the unit.

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