Life saving grabbit now

Minerva69

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 these should be OK (I hope - my DD has a Winnie the Pooh one!). The light isn't switched on when it's being charged, when it's on at night it's running from the rechargable battery and as far as I can see there's nothing to get hot.

harryharp

We have a gas combi-boiler in the kitchen which was installed by British Gas. We also have a gas fire in another room, and at the time the boiler was installed, the engineer put a carbon-monixide alarm in the room with the gas fire (the one mentioned above in Littlewren's post), but he didn't say anything about an alarm being necessary actually in the kitchen near the boiler

Can anyone advise whether we should put one in the kitchen or not? I'm confused as to why the engineer didn't mention it if it was necessary.

jenhugs

Regarding where to put the Carbon Monoxide detector I am not too sure. All I know is that when I bought mine (it is the one that has been talked about recommended by British Gas.) It advised me where to place the alarm if putting with the boiler, i.e it must be placed above the boiler for it to be efficent.

You can always get the small Carbon monoxide detector patches to place by the boiler if concerned. They change colour when carbon monoxide is present.

Minerva69

jenhugs wrote: »

You can always get the small Carbon monoxide detector patches to place by the boiler if concerned. They change colour when carbon monoxide is present.

A British Gas engineer told us not to use those (we had one stuck next to our boiler when they serviced it). He said they only change colour when carbon monoxide is actually present, and it goes back to clear when the carbon monoxide has gone away (eg if you open a window). He said it could change colour while you were out of the room or house and you wouldn't see it, so you wouldn't know about the danger if it had gone back to clear again. He then tried to sell us one of their carbon monoxide detectors, so I don't know whether to take what he said with a pinch of salt or not! Sorry if I'm rambling, I'm on v. strong painkillers at the moment and they seem to be affecting me! _pale_

annew

littlewren wrote: »

Link for purchasing the Corgi recommended carbon monoxide alarm:

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

Thanks for the link to the above website which shows it as £22.77 (inc VAT) - British Gas tried to sell me one at £36 when I had my boiler serviced.

littlewren

annew wrote: »

Thanks for the link to the above website which shows it as £22.77 (inc VAT) - British Gas tried to sell me one at £36 when I had my boiler serviced.

Oh, that's terrible because when I bought mine from there I was told it's exactly the same one except the British Gas one has their logo on it!

littlewren

Actually, now is the time to buy the Corgi one from their website as I see they have 15% VAT on there. I paid a bit more for mine from them a few weeks ago (when the VAT was 17.5%!

System

MrsBartolozzi wrote: »

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??

In your situation there is no need for one.

harryharp

YOUNGE1 wrote: »

This is not a bargain per se but as it is life saving and this board has a big readership, I have posted it here.

Everyone knows they need a smoke alarm but not everyone knows they need a carbon monoxide alarm (colourless odourless poisonous gas).

We learnt this at the weekend when it was discovered that smoke was recirculating (with carbon monoxide) in the house from an open coal fire. Our daughter had carbon monoxide poisoning but as it was discovered in time will hopefully be OK.

Symptoms can be vague and look like a cold/ flu or food poisoning:

Headache 90%
Nausea and vomiting 50%
Vertigo 50%
Alteration in consciousness 30%

Subjective weakness 20%

CLues are that:

• More than one person in the house affected;
• Symptoms better when away from the house eg. on holiday, but recur on returning
home;
• Symptoms related to cooking: stove in use; and

• Symptoms worse in winter: heating in use.
(this is taken from CMO report into carbon monoxide:the forgotten killer 1998)

Carbon monoxide is produced by burning any fuel- coal/oil/wood or gas so everyone needs one as you never know when there may be a problem with your heating.

The monitors only cost £20-£30 and are available from Tesco/ B and Q/ Amazon. We got a fire angel one from B and Q which gives a reading of carbon monoxide and an alarm when the level is dangerous.
http://www.fireangel.co.uk/Your-CO-Safety.aspx

Please grab one now.

It could happen to you too.

OP- I've just been on the phone to British Gas to check this. They told me there's no need to (or rather there's no point) putting a CO monitor by a solid fuel coal fire, as it won't detect any CO. Apparently they only detect CO from gas appliances, and you only need to use CO monitors in rooms that have gas appliances.

I'm confused now. Who told you that you need one with a coal fire?

umami

I just read, that, yesterday, in China, a number of schoolgirls have died of C.M. poisoning from lighting a coal fire to keep warm.
Quite chilling to also read that it is not uncommon.