Life saving grabbit now

norm_diploom

Carbon monoxide is produced whenever anything is burnt where there is a limited oxygen supply, like in an enclosed space.

To simplify, where there is plenty of oxygen then burning will produce carbon dioxide or CO2 (2 oxygens for each carbon) - but if there is less oxygen then you get CO or carbon monoxide, which is one oxygen molecule per carbon.
Hope that makes sense.

The other thing with carbon monoxide poisoning is that people have a lovely rosy pink complexion, not pale or grey like you might expect.

Thank you for posting OP, and I hope your daughter feels better soon.

littlewren

Thanks OP for highlighting a very important topic. I hope your daughter is ok. Bushcaro, I'm so sorry to hear about your sister and her boyfriend, that is absolutely awful.

One thing I would say is don't go for the cheaper ones to try and save some money. I bought one from Lloyds about 6 months ago - it was a First Alert one - and read the very length instruction leaflet, only to find that they didn't recommend putting it in the kitchen. I thought this was strange as a lot of people's boilers are in the kitchen (including ours).

I did some extensive research on the internet and spoke to some 'gas people' who said that the reason some aren't recommended for use in the kitchen is because they are far too sensitive to not only carbon monoxide but also other harmless fumes, such as when you're cooking. So they can then give off an alarm when there's no co2 leaking.

Another problem with cheaper co2 alarms is that when the battery runs out (and you never know exactly how long a battery will last) it will give off an alarm to let you know. So again, it could be a false alarm and have everyone panicking that it's co2 leaking.

I decided to go for the one recommended by British Gas, the SF carbon monoxide alarm as it is approved by CORGI because it meets the very latest safety standards and is also EN-approved. It's got a green button which flashes once a minute (like a smoke alarm) to show it's working and the battery is guaranteed for 6 years. There is also, of course, a test button just like a smoke alarm has. When the detector is reaching its end of life, it will give 1,2 or 3 short beeps every minute, different to the loud alarm if co2 is leaking. It's a sealed unit and once the battery runs out you throw the device away. It might seem more expensive, but what cost life?

There's no way I would buy a cheap one now that may be either

1) Unreliable and give false positive results

2) Not recommended by Corgi

littlewren

Link for purchasing the Corgi recommended carbon monoxide alarm:

http://www.trustcorgi.com/consumer/buyacarbonmonoxidealarm.htmx

Sylvester

Best of health the OP's daughter.

I already have one of these alarms, which i'm sure is very useful

vikki_louise

This is a great post. I have ME and suffer with tiredness, headahce, vomiting etc on a daily basis. I was by myself one evening and our CO alarm went off, the thing is if i had started to suffer from CO poisioning I would never of thought of that and goodness knows what could of happened. How ever a few months earlier my Dad had brought an alarm for £20 from costco so when it went off i was able to turn the gas off, open windows and stay with a neighbour. Its made me want to buy alarms for everyone for christmas! I heard someone suggest you pack one with you when you go on holiday too

littlewren

Hi Vikki, I have M.E. too although I don't have the vomiting, that's quite unusual for M.E. isn't it?

YOUNGE1

Thankyou to everyone for all your good wishes.

She seems to be fine now and looks like she will make a full recovery.

MrsBartolozzi

Can I just ask? I have no gas in the house, and no open fires - all electric me!! (and detached so no chance of CO coming from next door.) Do I need to get a CO monitor/alarm??

jubblinsm

happy2bhere wrote: »

Best advice i was given & def worth a quick read.....4. Childrens night lights, the ones where you plug in and have a plastic covering (often with a childrens character on) are a BIG no no. There is a campaign to get the safety standards changed on these as the plastic can't cope with the heat if left on all night. Something i was shocked to hear about.
.

I am shocked - my daughter has a fifi cone shaped one that becomes a torch - it is on charge all day then switched on at night. How can these be sold if they are not fit for the purpose intended?

bbford

jubblinsm wrote: »

I am shocked - my daughter has a fifi cone shaped one that becomes a torch - it is on charge all day then switched on at night. How can these be sold if they are not fit for the purpose intended?

I think this is a different torch, i think it's the plug in night lights with charaters on tat are the problem.