“…it's all within yourself no one else can make you change,… “
George Harrison, (1943-2001, listen)
Combustion air, breathable air
A very important part of combustion appliance activity is to note where combustion air is coming from. In many cases, air for combustion is coming from inside the building. Often times, like in the story below that notes 9 people being hospitalized from the gases generated by an unvented gas cooking system, the system draws air for the fire but exhausts the combustion gases directly into the breathable air and, also part of combustion air.
The building may have been tightened up to save energy or to keep the cold drafts out. Nine people in the space require a lot of air and, they are also exhausting extra carbon dioxide into the space. The cooking exhaust can begin fouling the air rather quickly, even with fewer people in the area.
Think of a small lit candle. Place a glass jar over the candle. Soon, the fire consumes all available oxygen. The flame weakens and generates hundreds of PPM of CO before extinguishing and then “smoking”. This fire, and all fires need air. This includes the human fire that also requires sufficient air for a healthy and complete combustion.
There is a prescriptive code for how much air a gas appliance needs (and how much several need if they are all taking air for combustion from inside.) It is imperative to verify the tightness of the building with the use of readily available testing devices as well as to verify the combustion air prescription. It has been found that even though there is enough space by mathematical volume, the tightness of the building restricted the amount of air that was actually available when the appliances operate for lengths of time. Please review the information on this link to The Energy Conservatory, diagnostic tools to measure building performance for more information about the science of testing buildings for air leaks and how tight they might be.
This building tightness may also trap pollutants inside. It is not uncommon to find sickening concentrations of CO and CO2 left over in buildings hours after the sources have been shut off and removed. These include propane or gasoline fueled pressure washers, floor buffers, concrete saws, construction space heaters and other combustion energized systems.
When a building has been tightened to save energy, special concerns must also be made for the times of higher CO2 levels and moisture so they do not denigrate the quality of the air or vitalize mold growth within the building surface or sub-structures.
There is a person who wrote a letter posted/linked below about how his carbon monoxide alarm saved his life. He explains how a mechanical fan caused the reversal of appliance exhaust and thus, the poisoning. This pressure problem is something a knowledgeable heating technician could discover in a normal safety check of appliance operation. Make sure your technician is trained, properly tooled and prepared. Bob Dwyer, CSME Carbon Monoxide Safety
CO News Links
Letter: Carbon monoxide detector saves villager's life
NorthJersey.com
Resident recently had a scare, and urges others to install detectors.
You may note in the man’s letter about his CO alarm saving his life that before the alarm sounded, the people in the house were sick. Carbon monoxide at any level is of a concern. Why wait until after you get sick to be alerted to the poison? Consider low level protection for carbon monoxide and smoldering fire detection problems. A low level carbon monoxide monitor, alerted to sound off as low at 10 PPM of CO or lower, followed by source identification and the corrective steps to eliminate or reduce the foreseeable hazard before injury or death occurs to anyone is paramount in any poisoning prevention strategy.Bob Dwyer, CSME Carbon Monoxide Safety
Carbon monoxide puts 9 in the hospital
WTOP
The group of nine people experienced the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning from a malfunctioning stove in their Oakton apartment.
Please take CARBON MONOXIDE SAFETY CARE during all holiday and everyday activities.
Carbon Monoxide Survivor A website made by poisoning survivors that brings a view that can only come from those that know what it is like to have been poisoned - as well as live with the long term impact.
National Conference of State Legislatures
Carbon Monoxide Detectors State Statutes
Twenty-five U.S. states have statutes that require carbon monoxide detectors in certain residential buildings. Updated Nov. 2011
Alaska | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Florida | Georgia | Illinois | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts| Michigan | Minnesota | Montana | New Jersey | New Hampshire | New York | North Carolina | Oregon | Rhode Island | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | Wisconsin | West Virginia
Google Maps to reference the locations referenced in these Internet headlines.
Bald Eagle Camera Alcoa Bald Eagle Camera, Davenport, Iowa.
Placed here for now for something other than carbon monoxide news.
The following companies are acknowledged for their continued support of carbon monoxide safety education and this daily news blog. They may just have what you are looking for.
Fieldpiece
The Energy Conservatory
IntelliTec Colleges
CO Experts
Masimo (See the non-invasive RAD-57)
Mahugh Fire & Safety
Every Day is Carbon Monoxide Safety Day!
