CO2 safety

[soapy]

I had a close call last weekend with CO2 poisoning. Long story short a exhaust pipe came off of one of the boilers in a position that was not easy to see. As the floor heat boiler was running all day it was filling the equipment room with CO2 ( a gas with no smell). After going home with a pounding headache and the shakes I figured out what happened the next day. I went to Home depot and purchased their best CO2 monitor for $40. I still had a reading over 100 the next day. In some states I am sure it is mandatory to have a CO2 detector, in my state it is not a requirement. I would reccomend anyone with a boiler to spend this little bit of money for your own safety.

 

[Randy]

Soapy or I should say Mr. LUCKY!!! You don’t know how luck you are to still be with us. Back in the day I used to teach a class in Confined space safety. C02 poisoning is a very deadly killer, there is no smell or indication that you’ve been exposed until it’s too late. Every home or business that has a gas appliance should have a C02 monitor. The city of Seattle just passed a law that every home and apartment will have a C02 monitor, this was passed because of the large number of deaths every year from C02 poisoning. Soapy, You are very LUCKY!! I’m going out tonight to buy a C02 monitor for my equipment room.

 

[Whale of a Wash]

Not only are the CO2 detectors a good idea. One should get new detectors for your house as 10yrs old ones are less effective, but one should get the dual ionization. In my apt bldg business we get inspected by the housing inspector every other year and fire dept every year, and we need a detector in every bedroom and hall way. Most times the batteries are out because of cooking they get annoyed. But i just buy the $5 ones for them. The dual ionization with a silent button is a good one for the house--About $20 This video explains why.
http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/49279732#49279732

 

[MEP001]

I assume this is about CO, carbon monoxide, and not CO² (carbon dioxide).

 

[soapy]

My mistake, it is about carbon Monoxide not CO2, thanks for pointing this error out and making the correct assumption.

 

[Randy]

Soapy is this the CO alarm/monitor you got?
http://www.lowes.com/pd_304218-347-...rt&pl=1&currentURL=?Ntt=first+alert&facetInfo

I guess they are required now in Oregon and California
http://webapps.easy2.com/cm_mvc/GenericIndex?page_id=36121526&host=lowe

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

a exhaust pipe came off of one of the boilers in a position that was not easy to see.

Mr Lucky, thanks for the tip and dam glad to still have you with us!

Can you explain the part about "hard to see exhaust pipe"?
My boiler & water heater both only have a flue stack that comes straight up off the top... or am I missing something?

My ER is low risk for CO (I think), but since I am aware of the risk I'm feeling a bit stupid for not having a monitor anyway; time to add one.

 

[soapy]

Randy, I bought a KIDDE CO monitor that plugs into the wall and has a battery backup. It has a digital display and will retain the highest reading it has sampled until you reset it. My reading on it was 123 after it sampled the air, anything over 100 is extreme. below 30 is considered normal.
The boiler that caused the problem was a brand called Munchkin. It brings in air from the outside and vents it back out using PVC pipes. The combustion chamber has a water drain in the bottom. The drain pipe became clogged causing water to backfill in the chamber. When the boiler tried to start it blew the exhaust pipe off located at the back of the boiler. 2 of these boilers were stacked and there is a water heater on one side and a compressor on the other side so looking behind the boiler was impossible until crawling under the bottom boiler that is located 18 inches off the floor. It uses a powered vent to exhaust the gas, not a draft type like a RayPak boiler. If a flu stack became obstructed the ER would quickly fill up with CO. Any building that uses a fossil fuel for heat is at risk for CO poisoning.

 

[mjwalsh]

My mistake, it is about carbon Monoxide not CO2, thanks for pointing this error out and making the correct assumption.

We have a sign up in each bay to shut their car engine off. About 3 years ago a guy had to be air ambulanced to Minneapolis to go in a special chamber. I needed to make it clear to the news media that it was not from any our heating sources but through extreme customer negligence.

Just to make the point that source of carbon monoxide is also something that should not be overlooked.

mike