How does a Carbon monoxide alarm work?

carbon monoxide detector does detect natural gas image

raver82

I never heard of a Carbon monoxide alarm before until my sister came home with one yesterday. I was just wondering how it works? if Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless and whatever else how can you get it in a house what does it come from? I'm clueless about it. I spent most of science class in school asleep.

Answer
Hello raver82:

CO is deadlier than natural gas; because it is odorless/colorless, people don't realize that it is present. It will cause death with as little as 30ppm within 30 minutes. CO is extremely hazardous to infants, the elderly and people with breathing disorders or who have difficulty breathing.

The detectors must be powered at all times in order to work properly. The mechanism is able to capture the CO molecules and if a high concentration (over 15 ppm) are detected, it will sound an alarm.

Symptoms of CO poisoning are grogginess, headache, fatigue, sleepiness, irritation of the nasal passages and lungs, and sometimes vomiting or diarrhea. Some complain of experiencing the same effects of alcohol.

A CO detector is as important as the smoke detector. CO is a result of inefficient combustion of hydrocarbons; the largest source in a home is the family car(or truck). If you have a natural gas appliance (furnace, water heater or stove), it is a wise investment to have the CO detector. After the car, the other main source of CO is the gas stove. If you have a gas stove, it is critical that you have an exhaust hood or vent for the stove that exits outside the home.

If you have a gas and carbon monoxide detector in your house, is the normal readout suppose to stay at zero ?

Hillbilly

After testing and plugging in this unit for my house, the readout seems to stay on zero all the time.
Is this detector working properly ?

Answer
It really depends what the sensitivity of your carbon monoxide detector is.

The natural levels are around 0.1 ppmv

The level of CO in your home could range from between 0.5 to 5.0 ppmv.

Many carbon monoxide detectors will usually sound if a level of over 10 ppmv is detected.

I'd advise you to contact the manufacturer to ask them if it is a normal reading.

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

carbon monoxide detector does detect natural gas image

Bobby

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

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

Does a carbon monoxide detector detect gas leaks from a stove?

tonyapozey

Answer
No it doesn't. Two different gases. The gas leak you're talking about is of natural gas (methane) and CO detector detects carbon monoxide produced by incomplete burning of the natural gas.

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carbon dioxide alarm question?

carbon monoxide detector does detect natural gas image

luvs 2 sho

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bobby

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

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

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Does a heating oil furnace need a CO detector same as a natural gas furnace?

carbon monoxide detector does detect natural gas image

uscgvet

We have an old furnace in our church that uses heating oil. I know that a furnace that uses natural gas needs to have CO detectors around the building. What about the heating oil? Does it have the same risk of leaking carbon monoxide? Thanks.

Answer
Any time you burn a hydrocarbon it makes CO. Heating oil furnaces are simpler so there is less likely hood of a leak. Also if there is a leak the exhaust from a heating oil furnace has a much stronger smell(think diesel truck) so it is easier to detect. If you are worried at all though it doesn't hurt to install a few just to be safe. They are fairly inexpensive.

How do you detect natural gas leak?

verset

This is probably a stupid question, but I've been an electric user all my life! I just moved to a house that uses natural gas for stove and water heater.

Does a Carbon Monoxide detector detect a slight natural gas leak? I ask because I was cleaning behind by range/oven, and I could smell a faint odor of what I think is natural gas. If there was a small small leak, would the carbon monoxide detector catch it?

Answer
The 2 answers above are correct. Before calling gas company you might want to see if pilot lights are all lit( if it has flame style pilot light). If a pilot light has blown out you will get a slight smell of gas because it is not being burned. If you have a newer style stove that clicks when you turn it on ( electronic ignition) then there won't be a standing pilot light and you probably have a gas leak.

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carbon dioxide alarm question?

carbon monoxide detector does detect natural gas image

luvs 2 sho

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bobby

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

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

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