Carbon Monoxide Detectors

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Do you have a Carbon Monoxide detector in or near the room where your pellet stove sits?

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PerfectaDude

PerfectaDude

New Member
Oct 2, 2011
64
Planet Earth
I'm wondering if people realize the serious danger of carbon monoxide gas. I added a poll to this post to get a rough idea how many people actually have a detector in the vicinity of their stove like I do.

Well so far it looks like there are a lot of smart people with CO detectors out there, good for them.
 
One in the Pellet stove room, one in the kitchen (west end of house), one in the hallway by the bedrooms (east end of house) , and finally one in the basement near the woodstove. Also have Smoke/Fire alarms in these locations as well.

My Families safety is my #1 priority. I would rather be to cautious and pro-active, than to see someone get injured. Having lived through a house fire (current house) and knowing how fast and destructive a fire can be, I tend to air on the side of caution. .

Better to be Safe than Sorry,.......
 
An elderly neighbor just died of carbon monoxide poisoning. Turns out she just had her furnace serviced and there must of been a leak. She lived alone and died in her rocking chair. Not having a CO2 detector is a dumb way to die. Get one!
 
Like dexter i have 4 also. Bedroom, living room, hallway and basement.

I also have that many smoke detectors.
 
Co worker, family always ill, we advised them to get out and call gas company. New home, 2 year old furnace leaked CO and natural gas . Claimed to have CO detectors.
 
One in the kitchen and two upstairs in the bedrooms, Night Hawks!!! Don't run any type of furnace without at least one!!!
 
A simple, inexpensive yet often ignored/overlooked item are both the fire and CO detectors. We've got all that is required by current building/fire regulations and had the fire department here to inspect the installation. I know that they say to change your batteries once a year. but all my detectors are hard-wired (into the house electrical system) and they each have a 9V battery backup that lasts much longer. So I keep a running list of each detectors location and when each one has a new battery installed. When I hear the "battery low" beep, I change it and record it.

Last year we had our CO detectors go off and my son and I checked the whole house top to bottom real quick and could NOT see or smell even the smallest hint of any odor. We immediately called the fire department and opened up a lot of windows and got out of the house. The FD arrived and checked the house with their meter and found a high level of CO coming from the garage (under the house) and it had made its way up into the house through open doors.

When they say that carbon monoxide itself is odorless - BELIEVE ME IT IS.
 
Shortstuff said:
A simple, inexpensive yet often ignored/overlooked item are both the fire and CO detectors. We've got all that is required by current building/fire regulations and had the fire department here to inspect the installation. I know that they say to change your batteries once a year. but all my detectors are hard-wired (into the house electrical system) and they each have a 9V battery backup that lasts much longer. So I keep a running list of each detectors location and when each one has a new battery installed. When I hear the "battery low" beep, I change it and record it.

Last year we had our CO detectors go off and my son and I checked the whole house top to bottom real quick and could NOT see or smell even the smallest hint of any odor. We immediately called the fire department and opened up a lot of windows and got out of the house. The FD arrived and checked the house with their meter and found a high level of CO coming from the garage (under the house) and it had made its way up into the house through open doors.

When they say that carbon monoxide itself is odorless - BELIEVE ME IT IS.
Click to expand...

Yes, most gasses are odorless (except that which is produced when consuming Taco Bell), they add smell to propane and natural gas so we know if it is leaking.
 
Kidde makes a nice wireless system where if one detector is tripped it sets them all off, not a bad idea if you have a pellet or wood stove especially in a basement or other distant room where you might not hear it.
 
Yeah buddy

We have a "Plug in" type that has a battery backup in the unit.

Plugged in right near the stove. This unit is very close to the bedrooms so its got that covered.

A brand new smoke detector in the living room where there are two stoves.

I really want to get another CO unit and plug in elsewhere in the house too.

Running any heating appliance that burns something dictates that you have CO detectors in the house.

Wood stoves and other "space heaters" with a chimney are the biggy ones that can give roubles.

Oil fired furnaces and even natural gas furnaces can have issues.

At least one CO tester in the bedroom area and one near the stove/s is minimum.

I worry more about the CO than the smoke.

Snowy
 
Yeah no reason not to have one....I have one in the living room with pellet stoveand one in the kitchen. Ther is also one in each bedroom. For cheap money better safe than sorry.
 
Have a nighthawk in the livingroom.. paid close to 70 dollars for the thing 10 years ago... also has battery back up..
 
Hank Hill said:
Have a nighthawk in the livingroom.. paid close to 70 dollars for the thing 10 years ago... also has battery back up..
Click to expand...

You might want to seriously look at replacing that, the life span of a CO sensor is only 5-7 years, it was only in the last couple years that they came out with newer technology that lasts up to 10 years. The really good ones have replaceable sensors, something to look for when shopping for one. Also look for an end of life light, the better ones will have one of those too.
 
And as far as replacing goes, save the original receipt! Many will replace no charge if the unit is not working well anymore, Kidde does for sure (twice). Just an fyi.
 
39 - 0 also hope that the score the patriots put up on the stinky jets
 
hardwired smoke/carbon monoxide one sets all off in house. Also a battery co2 next to each one.

Think I'm obsessive compulsive?
 
Salty said:
hardwired smoke/carbon monoxide one sets all off in house. Also a battery co2 next to each one.

Think I'm obsessive compulsive?
Click to expand...

Nope... Just Safe. I just replaced 2 of mine. Every 2-3 yrs is my rule of thumb. Small cost... You cant put a price on keeping your/my family safe. I dont care if it says 5 yrs.
Heck. I dont go the recommended mileage for the oil in my car. Early is always better than too late. IMHO
 
FYI, be sure to mount it high as CO has a lighter specific gravity than air, so it'll tend to migrate towards the ceiling. Mounting it low can cause failure to detect.
 
I have two, but I am looking for ones that have a permanent battery. That way, they last the life of the detector and your only option is to replace it when it become outdated. When we had kids at home, I spent a lot of time replacing missing batteries. Those darn remote cars used the same ones. No more kids home, but now I have to make sure I am able to hear the thing go off. That is another reason to get one that talks to the rest of them. I just put in an inexpensive security alarm, but had to put the alarm near my bed so I could have a better chance of hearing it. It is amazing what I can now sleep right through!
 
MrOletta said:
FYI, be sure to mount it high as CO has a lighter specific gravity than air, so it'll tend to migrate towards the ceiling. Mounting it low can cause failure to detect.
Click to expand...


I am glad you posted this because I was always under the impression that it did not rise. I have no idea why I thought that, but I did. Thank you.
 
I am no authority, but this is what the manufacturer is posting
Can be confusing. From First Alert installation guide, " Q: Is carbon monoxide heavier than air? What is the diffusion of carbon monoxide in air?
A: Carbon monoxide is not heavier than air. The diffusion of carbon monoxide in air is relatively even, meaning that a source of carbon monoxide can distribute the gas evenly throughout the room and house. When installing a carbon monoxide alarm, choose a location where the alarm will stay clean and out of the way of children or pets.
 
Put the detector at the level you want it to detect, i.e. bed height for sleeping. CO (no, NOT CO2!) is about the same density as air and mixes freely as saves$ said, so don't count on it sinking or rising. A good detector will detect before you're dead either way.
 
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