Do you have a carbon monoxide detector?

Csa_Survivor

ollski wrote: »

I could point you in the direction of a few definite life savers over the years where we have been brought in to check a co alarm going off and discovered a gas appliance working extremely dangerously. usually warm air units, precast flue fires and high level cooker grills.

Hi ollski,
My very first time on here, not looked at many posts but you appear to be someone in the know so to speak, so can I ask yourself or indeed anyone else qualified, to answer my question please ,
thanks for any help, :
Last Monday morning at crack of dawn we had a scare with my CO detector going off for the first time ever (had it at least 2-3 years). I took the monitor outside in the fresh air, the bleeping stopped then I brought it in again, a few minutes later it went off again! Not taking any chances we rang the emergency 0800number. By the way, my partner had a late night watching TV the night before so the fire in living room had only been off hour and a half according to her before our alarm sounded the very first time!
To cut a long story short the guy who came out, for anyone who does not know, literally just switches the gas off and leaves warning labels on gas appliances etc etc, so it was down to myself to organise an independent gas safe plumber which is fair enough.
My plumber I usually use, came out on the Tuesday and checked the boiler and the fire, the combi boiler we have tested absolutely fine so no problems there!
However, after removing the coal effect gas fire and putting it all back with the coals this time replaced in their correct positions ( over time they have been brushed and put back incorrectly), he then had the fire on for a few minutes and used the gadget he had, to test for CO around the fire. The results of this test was a reading of 2, which did not mean anything to me, he said it was a low reading but recommended our chimney swept which we had done but the chimney sweep suggested our chimney was ok, the Mrs saw the brush come out the top of the chimney?
I have since had a look on the net at many pages regarding gas safety levels and from what I can gather 0-9 is actually considered safe because of a certain amount of carbon monoxide being in the atmosphere anyway, not forgetting he had the fire on for a good few minutes anyway, and did not get a higher reading. Since the chimney sweep has been my plumber has not returned yet, when he does return hopefully later in the week do you think my fire should be passed as safe with only a reading of 2, and more to the point do you only think he disconnected it to be on the safe side until we had the chimney swept to try and perhaps get the reading down lower? Obviously safety is paramount but I don't want to have to buy a new fire unless absolutely necessary if a reading of 2 is not unusual or dangerous, but if it comes to that, I will.
Many thanks for anyones help with this.

GwylimT

We have one in the kitchen (where the boiler is) and one in the hallway near our bedroom doors.

DigForVictory

Three - one about knee height on every floor. Just not safe without.
We also practice how to get out in case of fire etc. The lads think it's great; (makes me realise where I've put weight on.)

FLAPJACK

We have both Smoke and Carbon Monoxide detectors, good to know they are there.

In our house the smoke detector going off usually means dinner is ready....obviously NOT when I'm cooking though!!.....does save testing it though.

ollski

Csa_Survivor wrote: »

Hi ollski,
My very first time on here, not looked at many posts but you appear to be someone in the know so to speak, so can I ask yourself or indeed anyone else qualified, to answer my question please ,
thanks for any help, :
Last Monday morning at crack of dawn we had a scare with my CO detector going off for the first time ever (had it at least 2-3 years). I took the monitor outside in the fresh air, the bleeping stopped then I brought it in again, a few minutes later it went off again! Not taking any chances we rang the emergency 0800number. By the way, my partner had a late night watching TV the night before so the fire in living room had only been off hour and a half according to her before our alarm sounded the very first time!
To cut a long story short the guy who came out, for anyone who does not know, literally just switches the gas off and leaves warning labels on gas appliances etc etc, so it was down to myself to organise an independent gas safe plumber which is fair enough.
My plumber I usually use, came out on the Tuesday and checked the boiler and the fire, the combi boiler we have tested absolutely fine so no problems there!
However, after removing the coal effect gas fire and putting it all back with the coals this time replaced in their correct positions ( over time they have been brushed and put back incorrectly), he then had the fire on for a few minutes and used the gadget he had, to test for CO around the fire. The results of this test was a reading of 2, which did not mean anything to me, he said it was a low reading but recommended our chimney swept which we had done but the chimney sweep suggested our chimney was ok, the Mrs saw the brush come out the top of the chimney?
I have since had a look on the net at many pages regarding gas safety levels and from what I can gather 0-9 is actually considered safe because of a certain amount of carbon monoxide being in the atmosphere anyway, not forgetting he had the fire on for a good few minutes anyway, and did not get a higher reading. Since the chimney sweep has been my plumber has not returned yet, when he does return hopefully later in the week do you think my fire should be passed as safe with only a reading of 2, and more to the point do you only think he disconnected it to be on the safe side until we had the chimney swept to try and perhaps get the reading down lower? Obviously safety is paramount but I don't want to have to buy a new fire unless absolutely necessary if a reading of 2 is not unusual or dangerous, but if it comes to that, I will.
Many thanks for anyones help with this.

Hi a reading of up to 10ppm is acceptable in the room so 2 is fine. Your alarm shouldn't trigger until it hits 40 at least. Don't forget other sources can trigger the alarm at this level such as cigarette smoke.
I would be concerned that the alarm stopped ringing in fresh air and restarted when it was reintroduced though.

Lucy_Lastic

In the case of a gas fired boiler being housed in a cupboard in an upstairs bedroom (bedroom about 14x14 ft), where would you place the carbon monoxide detector? The only other gas appliance in the house is the gas hob, in the kitchen.

Mr_K

I got one somewhere but I've lost it under household rubble. Keeping hoping for for carbon monoxide event, so it'll go off and I can find it again.....

seven-day-weekend

Lucy_Lastic wrote: »

I just wondered how many of you have a carbon monoxide detector?

For some reason I have just decided that I should have one. I have a gas boiler and a gas fire.

My house has 3 floors, so I have just ordered 2 detectors, one for the entrance hall and one for the first landing. The top bedroom is rarely used and from what I understand the alarm will be loud enough to be heard throughout the house anyway.

If you have them, where have you located them?

I actually have four CO alarms One in the kitchen where the gas appliances (boiler and hob) are; one on the first landing. These are the two we originally planned to equip our house with.

When we sold our Spanish house, we had a portable CO alarm, so brought that back with us to our UK house. This travels between the sitting room and bedroom.

Last spring we had a woodburning stove installed in the dining room, it is compulsory to have a CO alarm with these. Unlike the others, it is designed to be ceiling mounted, in the room where the stove is (because any escape from the stove will be heated and will rise).

So that's it, four CO alarms and we also have four smoke alarms, one on each floor including the cellar.:) They are all in date and tested regularly.

C_Mababejive

I dont have one and dont plan on getting one.

Appliances in home..
1)Gas cooker
2) Open flued central heating boiler circa 35 years old

If your CO detector goes off,what will you do?

seven-day-weekend

C_Mababejive wrote: »

I dont have one and dont plan on getting one.

Appliances in home..
1)Gas cooker
2) Open flued central heating boiler circa 35 years old

If your CO detector goes off,what will you do?

Ventilate and move to fresh air?