CO(Carbon Monoxide) Poisioning/CO detectors

[GHarman]

I wanted to give everyone a heads up on your home heating equipment.
If you are running a forced air heating system, be advised that those CO monitors will not pick up
low levels of CO(Carbon Monoxide). Be on guard for yourselves and your Families!
Check your Burners and heat exchangers. If you have an "inshot' style burner in your furnace?
You can see where the heat exchanger is screwed to the plenum. Look at those screw locations.
If you see a crack between the burner tubes (It can run through the screw hole), your heat exchanger is cracked.
If you are having aching muscles, low energy and cranky attitudes, that can be one indication that there are low levels of CO contaminating your heated house air. Indicating that there are cracks elsewhere. CO does not have to be in quantities that can set off your alarms. IMHO, if the CO is at high enough concentrations to set off your alarms, you better have an oxygen mask. (figuratively speaking, Its already to late as the CO has displaced oxygen in your cells)
I have a few pictures of our experience to pass on to you. Hopefully this post and the pictures will help others.
A visual inspection is something you can do when you do your furnace maintainence. If you have an older furnace, it can help to have a HVAC tech use a meter on your house air, periodically. CO measured in parts per million(PPM) is an insidious poison!
GregH

 

[GHarman]

This is a name brand up draft 92% efficient furnace that is 15 years old.

The burners can be located at the top or in the middle above the blower fan.

I've see many different configurations.

The heat exchanger can be replaced. However in our case, we are going to dump this unit with an upgrade furnace

and duct work. When changing out parts, you might as well replace the vent fan(permanently lubed ) and the blower fan(also permanently lubed).



GregH

 

[BIGNASTY]

After you and I talked Greg I went and checked our detectors (just push the button) I think all that checks is the power to it. I wonder if there is a for sure way to check to see if it picks up carbon monoxide. I will have to call the company that services it. We RARELEY use it we use the pellet stove for heat in the house.

 

[GHarman]

BIG,
Any combustion heating system can produce CO. Its a function of air/fuel mixture.
Not enough air and you get incomplete combustion with more CO.
The gas, propane and oil fired units are just more common than pellet stoves.
We also have a Gas fired space heater that looks like a wood stove.
It is designed to take combustion air from the outside. I'll be watching that one, also!
Thanks, BIG!
GregH

 

[BIGNASTY]

Well I guess we could leave the house UNHEATED this winter and wear a few more sweaters. I DONT THINK THAT'S GOING TO WORK TO GOOD AT -30 FOR SOME REASON :-laf



Cold storage wouldnt be a problem then. Food would be blocks of ICE!!!

 

[GHarman]

HMMMM? BIG!
That wouldnt go over to well:-laf
Yer Marlin would be frizzed up and you'd hafta break it off every time ya took a wizz:-laf!
Ya wouldnt want ta get hit, cause you'd shatter!
GregH

 

[BIGNASTY]

Ya think thats funny DONT YA!!!! I think ive been that cold had to take a "P" and couldn't find things so easy. I GUESS THATS SELF PRESERVATION :-laf

Had to check the BOOT TOPS to make sure it didn't freeze off

 

[Mikey-KE7LBB]

The turtle ducks it's head into it's shell to protect itself... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turtle



A truly amazing creature that protects itself from everything... Including being touched by cold hands! :-laf:-laf