Wood Pellets = CO?

[DBNH22]

Recently I was at a family function for my wife's family. The discussion turned to our pellet boiler and a member of her family, who happens to be in the HVAc industry, remarked "you shouldn't store wood pellets inside because they release carbon monoxide."

I asked him if he meat when they were burned and he said no, the release CO just sitting there.

I've never heard anything like this before and could not find anything written about it either.

 

[Murph]

Carbon monoxide comes from incomplete combustion and from improperly vented appliances.

 

[john193]

This should help clarify things.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...e-poisoning-in-wood-pellet-storerooms.101497/

 

[Mt Bob]

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...e-poisoning-in-wood-pellet-storerooms.101497/ Pellets let off gas mostly weeks just after they are pressed/made.I usually put 21/2 to 3 ton in basement(small) but let them sit outside a few weeks first.You really do not need link,posting is at top of this forum.

 

[DBNH22]

Thanks for the links guys. I only buy by the bagged, palletized ton and the most I've had in the basement at once was four tons. I have CO detectors on all floor of my home, including the basement and none of them have ever alarmed. It would be nice to have a garage for storage buy I don't have one. It sounds like you're in the clear as long as you're buying by the bag and they are somewhat ventilated.

 

[bdud]

From what I have read the problem could exist with bagged pellets also, it depends on the area they are stored in.
All the pellet bags I have seen have small holes so this natural process of gas venting will occur also.
If the stash is contained in an air-tight room or enclosure, bagged or not you could experience this, I would have thought.
It might depend on length of time, air-tightness, volume of pellets, 'ripeness' of pellets, temp, manufacture, etc.
My silo and the silo's supplied by VRF have a cloth sock for ventilation, the cloth silo's most likely allow the passage of gas to a certain extent through them.
My boiler / silo area has a new smoke & co detector and I have 2 other smoke / co detectors on that same level. I also have an outside ventilation fan in that room.
To me, it would be prudent to ventilate any area with large volumes of pellets and have a working CO detector nearby.
Stay careful out there.

 

[DBNH22]

At most I don't think I will ever have any more than a season's worth (6 tons) of pellets in my basement. I had four tons in the basement at one point this past season. I have CO detectors in the basement and two main living levels of my home and they were never alarmed. I imagine that it's been at a bare minimum a week or two from the time the pellets are manufactured to the time I order them and they show up at my house. I suppose I could let them air out in the yard for a few hours when they're delivered before putting them in the basement. The more I read about it and speak w/ others the more I'm thinking it's not something that I should be overly concerned about.

 

[bdud]

The more I read about it and speak w/ others the more I'm thinking it's not something that I should be overly concerned about.

Agreed.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

This should help clarify things.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...e-poisoning-in-wood-pellet-storerooms.101497/

Actually it can also come from organic decay which in its most basic form is incomplete combustion.

What matters is the concentration of CO in the area and that can both be measured and monitored.

What goes on in those large store rooms (directly feeding a device) is partially the effect of negative pressure in the storeroom, this has several consequences one is the combustion gasses of the device including CO, CO2, and other volatile organic materials is drawn from the device into the directly attached store room (this includes smoke).

Anyone making comparisons to any other fuel burning system needs to be careful because those devices also emit CO. All burning in an improperly operating heating device can kill you as a former member was heard to say easy peasy.

In the case of pellets if you allow enough of them to compost in a relatively small volume of air you can have the same effect.

I have 5 combination CO/Smoke detectors in this house that talk to each other, the only thing that has set them off was the boss cooking a roast, me burning some toast, and them getting mad about the backup battery power level. I also had over 20 ton bagged in my garage.

The moral of the story is make certain you have operating battery backed up CO and smoke detectors in your house and properly maintain your heating systems.

 

[DBNH22]

I have 5 combination CO/Smoke detectors in this house that talk to each other, the only thing that has set them off was the boss cooking a roast, me burning some toast, and them getting mad about the backup battery power level. I also had over 20 ton bagged in my garage.

They talk to each other?

Before I bought my CO detectors I read up on them a little and I recall reading that dedicated CO detectors are supposed to be better than the CO/smoke combo units. I forget which brand mine are but I bought them at Home Depot. They had good reviews and were recommended on several different websites.

Does anyone have experience with recommendations on brands and models?

 

[bdud]

Kiddie or First Alert are the most common consumer detectors, Nest has one which was withdrawn, and there are some others. If your house is wired for detectors, 3 wires, it is best to keep with the same manufacturer so if one detector detects smoke, it will trip all the others. Detectors are designed to last 7 to 10 years from power on, most will start 'chipping' like a bad battery at that time to warn you.
If your house is not wired you can still get battery operated units that will talk to each other like the wired units.
There are also units out there that can alert you via phone or text, ie you are at work and your pets etc are in the house, Nest, First Alert are 2 of those. Have a look at the Iris sytem at Lowes if that interests you, there is a monthly subscription or use smartthings which requires no subscription.
Of the smoke detectors there are mainly 2 types ionization and photo-electric. They both detect different types of fires and one works better near kitchens or bathrooms.
I have not heard that combo units are less effective than the CO units.

 

[DBNH22]

I'm pretty sure this is the one I bought:

CO Detector

 

[bdud]

I'm pretty sure this is the one I bought:

CO Detector

That one is a standalone unit and funny it has a lifetime sensor..
The interconnect ones are these http://www.homedepot.com/p/Kidde-Ha...isplay-and-Battery-Backup-KN-COP-IC/202029417
or http://www.homedepot.com/p/Kidde-Ba...-SM-DC/100655041?N=5yc1vZbmh8Z1z0uzrhZ1z10rjp
First Alert text or email models.. http://www.lowes.com/pd_505521-347-ZCOMBO_0__?Ntt=zcombo&UserSearch=zcombo&productId=4780109&rpp=32 but note these do not interconnect.
The First Alert battery ones that talk but do not send text or email.. http://www.lowes.com/pd_429037-347-...L=?Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&facetInfo=

 

[boilermanjr]

Take a look at this presentation made by Ray Albrecht at the 2014 Northeast Biomass Heating Expo: http://nebiomassheat.com/pdfs/2014/1.b2.albrecht.pdf
Ray has performed a lot of research on CO outgassing from wood pellets.