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| Author |
Message |
| 25 new of 239 responses total. |
goose
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response 175 of 239:
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Dec 10 20:55 UTC 2003 |
I second that, tod.
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jmsaul
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response 176 of 239:
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Dec 11 00:54 UTC 2003 |
I third it. Speaking as someone who had a carbon monoxide problem and didn't
know it.
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mcnally
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response 177 of 239:
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Dec 11 01:16 UTC 2003 |
The local newspaper here in Ketchikan had a story this week about a
family who died from CO poisoning due to a furnace defect.
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jmsaul
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response 178 of 239:
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Dec 11 01:23 UTC 2003 |
Fortunately, our house is pretty drafty, and it hadn't gotten quite that bad
yet. We all just thought we had the flu.
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keesan
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response 179 of 239:
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Dec 11 02:36 UTC 2003 |
You can buy carbon monoxide detectors.
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bhoward
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response 180 of 239:
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Dec 11 07:28 UTC 2003 |
They are required in Japan. Can't get gas service unless one is installed.
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davel
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response 181 of 239:
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Dec 11 14:58 UTC 2003 |
My own experience is that in a furnace the thermocouple is a very likely
cause, & is pretty easily replaced in many cases. I've never had one go out
on a water heater, though. (My guess on that has always been that they
deteriorate with the higher temp in the furnace, but this is just a guess.)
|
other
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response 182 of 239:
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Dec 11 15:27 UTC 2003 |
Ditto the comments on the thermocouple. $8-$12 for the part, and 40
minutes max with a little contortionism to replace it, depending on
unit placement.
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goose
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response 183 of 239:
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Dec 11 15:28 UTC 2003 |
One of my best friends was killed by CO poisoning back in 1997. His mother
and her boyfriend also perished. Please get yourself a CO detector if you
have gas appliances. In this situation it was a defective water heater,
and just like with Joe they thought they had contracted the flu. (best guess
by the medical examiner, based on medicines consumed, etc.)
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micklpkl
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response 184 of 239:
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Dec 11 16:43 UTC 2003 |
Where is the best place to put these carbon monoxide detectors? Near the
appliance, or in the living areas? I have a gas fired furnace and water heater
in the garage, and a gas oven in the kitchen. Should I get two detectors?
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tod
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response 185 of 239:
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Dec 11 19:34 UTC 2003 |
This response has been erased.
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happyboy
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response 186 of 239:
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Dec 11 20:22 UTC 2003 |
zactly...we have one in the bedroom
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gelinas
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response 187 of 239:
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Dec 11 20:55 UTC 2003 |
If all the smoke-detectors are linked together, and a CO detector can be added
to the system, it might make more sense to put it near the possible sources
of the CO.
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goose
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response 188 of 239:
|
Dec 11 21:03 UTC 2003 |
Good question. It is my understanding that CO is heavier than 'air', so they
should be close to the floor. We have one outside the two first floor
bedrooms, plugged into an outlet about 1ft off the floor.
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jmsaul
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response 189 of 239:
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Dec 12 01:15 UTC 2003 |
We have CO detectors... now. Including one rigged to our security system,
so it gets called in.
In our case, our heat exchanger was basically coming apart. The leak was
probably pretty slow, because we'd been feeling draggy for days -- also, as
I said, we have a drafty house. What saved us was that the gas ewnt out
because of a problem up the street. We woke up, way too early, freezing our
asses off... and felt GREAT.
We didn't put it together until the gas company showed up to turn our furnace
back on, took a look at it, and condemned it.
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aruba
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response 190 of 239:
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Dec 12 01:46 UTC 2003 |
Wow, I'm glad you were OK, Joe. When I last looked for a CO detector, it
cost about $45. Is that about what one should expect to pay?
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bhoward
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response 191 of 239:
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Dec 12 01:57 UTC 2003 |
Yeah, that sounds about like what we payed (in the yen-equiv.)
It's pretty scarey how quietly that kind of poisoning can sneak
up on you. In this regard, the general drafty-ness of homes
here may actually be a blessing of sorts.
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rcurl
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response 192 of 239:
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Dec 12 01:59 UTC 2003 |
C (12) + O (16) = 28 for the molecular weight of CO. That of std air is
ca. 29.9. Hence CO is *slightly* lighter than air. I would expect,
however, that the difference is not significant and the CO would mix with
the air without stratification. Other sources of air circulation (drafts,
temperature differences, the furnace blower, etc) would be more than
sufficient to ensure good mixing.
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gelinas
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response 193 of 239:
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Dec 12 01:59 UTC 2003 |
(Is CO in fact heavier than air? Would a combined CO/smoke/fire detector
mounted on the ceiling of the furnace room NOT be a good idea?)
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gelinas
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response 194 of 239:
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Dec 12 02:00 UTC 2003 |
(Rane slipped in with the answer I needed. :)
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keesan
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response 195 of 239:
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Dec 12 03:15 UTC 2003 |
My apartment had a gas stove. I replaced it with my own electric stove. Gas
stoves are the greatest source of carbon monoxide because they put it directly
into the living space, not up a chimney. Children in houses with gas stoves
get more respiratory illnesses. (Also those in houses with smokers, who
effluent also does not go directly up a chimney).
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bhoward
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response 196 of 239:
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Dec 12 03:20 UTC 2003 |
You don't (didn't) have a vent above the gas stove?
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keesan
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response 197 of 239:
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Dec 12 03:38 UTC 2003 |
No vent, and even if there is a vent not all the carbon monoxide would go up
it. Lots would go sideways. Pilot lights produced even more. City code does
not require venting gas stoves in apartments.
A friend with a large house (3000 square feet) which is old and leaky got a
detector, detected gas on the third floor, and continues to use the gas stove.
It has a fan in the wall near it and now he leaves the window open too. The
oven produced more monoxide than all four burners together, possibly because
it does not get as much air.
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goose
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response 198 of 239:
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Dec 12 03:44 UTC 2003 |
RE#192 -- thanks for clarifying, Rane.
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slynne
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response 199 of 239:
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Dec 12 04:29 UTC 2003 |
I have a gas stove and no vent. I dont cook much though. I have a CO
detecter on the wall by the basement stairs. I have a very drafty house
so hopefully I'll be ok. I should probably get my furnace inspected. IT
is old.
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