Carbon Monoxide Advice

scotty_591

I have a question about Carbon Monoxide in the home. I have exausted google on the matter and have still not answered my question. Hopefully someone can help.

I have a carbon monoxide alarm in my 1 bedroom flat and it has a peak level feature that records the highest detected level. It currently reads 19, i read the instructions and the alarm doesn't display a live reading if it is below 30ppm. However i have read that long term exposure to CO at levels above 10ppm can be bad for health.

I was considering ringing the gas emergency line to see what they recommend. Do you think doing this would be an appropriate use of the gas emergency line?

Just to note, i have no money for an engineer and my landlord will not act unless the alarm sounds.

Thanks for your time.

Avoriaz

The first thing I would do is find the source of the CO and see if that can be sorted.

What are the possible sources?

Gas fire, gas boiler, gas oven or hob etc.

scotty_591

Thanks for your reply. We have 2 sources of gas. A boiler and a gas hob. Both have had to be repaired multiple times in the last year. The only thing that has been on today is the boiler.

andrew-b

shouldn't be showing that much. I would turn off the boiler (better cold than dead!), ventilate the house and don't turn on the boiler again until you've had it checked over by an engineer (Gas safe register one).

It isn't the gas transporter (the emergency line) remit though.

Are there any signs of brown/black colouration on the internal decor around the boiler flue which would indicate fumes leaking? Is the flue clear externally ..as in no birds nests, insect nests, rubbish, leaves etc obstructing it?

scotty_591

Hi andrew-b

The gas emergency line does say it handles CO leaks but i guess it is not an emergency until the alarm goes off?

I am at a loss really as i can't see any damage on the boiler or scorch marks and the flue is clear. The boiler has had to be repaired a couple of times and is yearly serviced by an engineer.

Just having problems getting the landlord to do anything as they say they won't act until the alarm goes off!! If i wanted to get it done myself (a check by an engineer) i just couldn't afford it. Seems i am stuck between a rock and a hard place

andrew-b

wrong sort of gas emergency ..emergency line is for natural gas leak not carbon monoxide caused by incomplete combustion. Landlord has to by law do annual gas safety check but i would think they have an obligation to take your concerns seriously.

If the boiler is the source then turning it off and ventilating the house should see the CO readings come down pretty soon. If it's an older boiler and you can see the flame it should be a crisp blue flame rather than a shaky orange one.

muckybutt

Your landlord has a legal obligation to keep any gas appliance serviced and in a satisfactory condition, have these appliances been serviced within the last year and do you have a copy of the Gas Safety certificate at the time they were serviced ?

If you report a problem to your landlord about the safety of a gas appliance they HAVE to act on it by getting a Gas Safe registered engineer to investigate the problem.

If your landlord refuses to service and safety check the gas appliances they have provided they are breaking the law. You can complain to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) via the HSE website.

Biggles

First of all, a peak reading only shows what the level has been at some time since installation (maybe when your equipment needed repair during the last year, as you mentioned). You need to zero the peak level display so that you can see what is happening now. On mine, that involves holding down the peak level button while pressing and releasing the test/reset button. Now, if you get a reading, you will know it is a current problem, not historic.

But the alarm will only sound if the level exceeds 50ppm for over 60 minutes, the level that will cause side-effects is reckoned to be 100ppm or more, though that opinion might well vary from one source to another.

scotty_591

Thanks for all the advice.

@andrew-b thanks for that, the boiler is safetly turned off and isolated however the reading has only dropped a bit, so could either be a faulty detector or seepage from a neighbour? (we have a neighbour each side and above).

@muckybutt Yep, the boiler is serviced every year (January) and each time we have received a copy of the gas safety certificate.

@Biggles Thanks for the advice, i looked in the manual and reset the peak level reading, it is still showing a reading . Also my alarm says it goes off at 30ppm and i always thought anything above 10ppm over a long period is considered a health risk.

I have ordered a second CO alarm to make sure mine isn't faulty which will arrive tomorrow and if that shows a reading i guess the landlord will have to sort it out.

The wonders of rented accomodation.

Biggles

scotty_591 wrote: »

I have ordered a second CO alarm to make sure mine isn't faulty which will arrive tomorrow

Might be cheaper in the long run to get the testing kit?
http://www.safelincs.co.uk/detectagas-co-detector-tester/

C_Mababejive

If there is any doubt then ring the gas emergency service. tel 0800111999
You should definitely ring them if the alarm activates or if you feel unwell and suspect that the cause is a gas appliance. Most Gas Emergency services now have the necessary equipment to check the atmosphere in your home for CO. I will say that im not a big fan of CO detectors with digital level displays as they can cause undue anxiety !