carbon monoxide

[rach24680]

I know this prob isnt the best forum to post this, but if anyones a plumber...

The boiler is in my bedroom, the flu is directly under my bedroom window, my window has been open all day with my bedroom door closed. The boiler was on for aprox 3 hours. It's now been off for nearly 1 hour. In this time Ive opened all windows upstairs and left my bedroom door open to try and rid any bad fumes.

Wil it be ok to sleep in my room tonight?

[johan]

If you have doubts, call a plumber.

[anne1707]

Nobody here can tell you whether it is safe. As well as Johan's suggestion, how about for longer-term getting a carbon monoxide alarm installed?

[wuggle]

I know this prob isnt the best forum to post this, but if anyones a plumber...

The boiler is in my bedroom, the flu is directly under my bedroom window, my window has been open all day with my bedroom door closed. The boiler was on for aprox 3 hours. It's now been off for nearly 1 hour. In this time Ive opened all windows upstairs and left my bedroom door open to try and rid any bad fumes.

Wil it be ok to sleep in my room tonight?

 

Not a plumber so can't say for sure, but if it was me I wouldn't be too concerned (why did they put the flue just outside your bedroom window if it was a potential problem ??)

 

I wouldn't lose sleep over it.

[carhill]

IMO, as someone who does this kind of stuff for a living, that flue adjacent to and/or below an openable window is a code violation here in California and likely elsewhere. Here, and I well know as a landlord, I have to equip space adjacent to sleeping areas with a CO detector. I use a combo unit for CO detection, as well as separate networked smoke detectors in all bedrooms.

 

A CO detector will tell the story. A licensed plumber/boiler contractor will advise as to system function. Your local gas company (presuming the boiler is gas-fired on public utility) can assist, as can the local building department.

 

I'd sleep in a safely ventilated area until the issue is resolved to your satisfaction. CO is a silent killer.

 

 

As an example, I'll use the case of the water heater and the evaporative cooler. The rooftop water heater vent was below and generally upwind to the rooftop mounted evaporative cooler, which intakes outside air, passes it through water soaked cooler pads and then exhausts it into the house. Under certain circumstances, the lower and upwind heater vent was discharging sufficient CO into the cooler inlet that anomalous alarms were being experienced by the CO alarm in the house without verifiable source. All examined sources were clean. As a last resort, the water heater vent was raised to 3 feet above the level of the evaporative cooler intake. This solved the issue. Was it enough to kill? Likely not. But it was enough to alarm, and that was sufficient.

Edited June 13, 2012 by carhill
Added example.

[rach24680]

Thanks, il deffo get a detector sorted tomorrow. I dont have anywher else to stay tonight but iv kept the upstairs windows open, hopefully this will be oky?

[carhill]

Here's what I'd do....If possible, I'd sleep in a room where airflow is generally upwind to the affected space (room with the flue issue). This presumes that windows must be left open for fresh air/cooling, etc. Otherwise, shut the windows. If the window adjacent to the flue is even reasonably sealed to the weather, no gas of any substantial amount will invade.

 

In the case of a two-story house, sleep on the bottom floor, as CO rises indoors.

 

Since this issue has apparently existed for awhile and you are still here and haven't developed CO-related symptoms, it's something to take care of but I wouldn't lose sleep over it. Take your precautions for the short-term and seek out some long-term solutions.

[johan]

Thanks, il deffo get a detector sorted tomorrow. I dont have anywher else to stay tonight but iv kept the upstairs windows open, hopefully this will be oky?

 

If you suspect CO, don't expose yourself to it, open window or not. For damn sure don't go to sleep in it.

[whichwayisup]

I know this prob isnt the best forum to post this, but if anyones a plumber...

The boiler is in my bedroom, the flu is directly under my bedroom window, my window has been open all day with my bedroom door closed. The boiler was on for aprox 3 hours. It's now been off for nearly 1 hour. In this time Ive opened all windows upstairs and left my bedroom door open to try and rid any bad fumes.

Wil it be ok to sleep in my room tonight?

 

Get a carbon monoxide detector for your place.

 

Sleep with the window open tonight too.

 

And tomorrow, get someone to come check this asap!!

[whichwayisup]

Nobody here can tell you whether it is safe. As well as Johan's suggestion, how about for longer-term getting a carbon monoxide alarm installed?

 

If you are so concerned, or start to feel ill, dizzy or 'off', then call 911 and the firefighters will check the levels in your house.

[firemanq]

In no particular order:

 

If the boiler is gas fired, call the gas supplier. They are very safety oriented. If they find a CO problem, they will immediatly shut off the gas.

 

The firemen on the truck generally know only how to "put the wet stuff on the red stuff" They know nothing about CO. But the hero complex is such they feel the need to say something, even if it is wrong.

 

General consensus from those who work with CO, boiler and furnace techs, is that the CO monitors you buy are of little value. Government officials often make decisions about things which they have no knowledge of. CO monitors are one of those decisions. Monitors give you the warm fuzzy feeling, that is all. There are good monitors available, but you will not find them at Home Cheapo or Blowes.

 

After the gas supplier does their testing, and assuming they red tag the boiler, furnace or water heater, contact 3 companies that claim to have experience in boilers, furnaces or water heaters and ask for their input. Make sure they are licensed, insured and have worker's comp. Ask for proof of training. Offer to pay for their expertise and ask for a written explanation and methods of repair. Get a written estimate for repairs.

If this is a rental, you need to contact the owner or agent, verbally and in writting.

 

Symptoms of CO poison may or may not inclued rosy skin, dizzyness, shortness of breath. There are other symptoms, but that is all that I remember from my firefighter and EMT days.

 

A few years ago, my girlfriend complained of dizzyness, and feeling lethargic. I had noticed a "damp" feeling in the house, but blew that feeling and her complaints off. She nagged enough that I called the gas company. I used the toll-free number, followed by the private numbers for the local gas office. They came down and brought their really expensive sniffer. They shut off the gas furnace, presented me with a red tag, and had me sign the report. The CO level was so high that the sniffer went off as they walked down the side of the house. I got the chimney to the wood stove cleaned, and inspected. Then I got two estimates from sheet metal shops I work with. The other shop here is a hack and I do not work with them or reccomend them to my customers. A week later, I was the owner of a new furnace, new insulated duct work and a fancy thermostat I still don't know how to operate. As soon as the old gas furnace was shut off, the symptons my girlfriend complained about were gone. The heat exchange was cracked and allowing CO into the duct work.

 

One of the things I do in my business is repair commercial kitchen gas appliances. Furnace repair is outside the scope of my practice, I called experts in furnace repair. I suggest you do the same.