Carbon Monoxide

[Tiggeroo]

My CO2 detector has been going off since like 10:00. DH and I are arguing about this. We are in a condo building. The hotwater heater is 2 floors above us so that can't be the problem. Although the heater and stove pilot are lit neither is running. DH says that this means they can't be the problem. There is nothing else we can think of. Nobody is sick or showing any symptoms of problems. It is nice out and all the windows in the house are open. The detector is reading high. DH feels it is the battery and I don't have another one here that fits and can't get it til the morning. He has gone to bed. I'm afraid to go to sleep and keep going around checking on everybody. But I definitely do not have any symptoms of problems. Also, when he put the detector outside it kept beeping. Any thoughts on this if you are awake this crazy late?

 

[Jolie C]

I'm awake! My smoke detectors go off like that when they need new batteries. Never had a carbon monoxide detector do that, though.

 

[Lisa L from MI]

here in MI the gas co will come out ASAP on a call like that. It happened at my other house...with another detector....all was A-OK but when I read about the detector we had...you were suppose to vacuum it and air it out monthly.

I would call to be on the safe side if I were you.......

 

[Lisa L from MI]

is it battery?? or plug in one????

 

[Tiggeroo]

battery.

 

[Lisa L from MI]

dumb question...but did you put a new battery in....ours was a plug in when it happened....with a new baby in the house....scared the crap out of me. We now have the first alert ones on the ceiling that are a combo...fire and co2

 

[Dan Murphy]

Well, watch the crap.

Is it a 'normal' battery? 9 volt, AAA, C, D? Or a specialty? If regular you could go to an all-night and get one. I always have about a hundred batteries, all sizes on hand, LOL. But if it is one of those older CO detectors, it might be one of those specials.

 

[Tiggeroo]

Nope. i don't have another 9volt battery in the house. I looked all over the place. And nothing is open right now. Went to the nearest 24hour place and they don't have any. It probably is the battery as it's been awhile, nearly a year since it was changed. Because of the way our place is laid out we never really worried about co2. Only have it in due to code changes requiring them in any multi family dwelling. I'm just wondering if dh is correct and that if the heater and stove aren't running you can't have a problem. When I look on line this seems to be the case since they tell you to turn off the offending appliance before you leave the home. Oh, and I guess my heater has an automatic pilot. It isn't even lit if it's not running.

 

[Lisa L from MI]

OOPS....that word, unfortunately, is in our vocab in the house quite often......more than I would like, as when I read my post again.....it just have must "flowed" out when typing!!!!!!! LOL!!!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Any other 'qizmo' in the house with a 9 volt? Radio, CD player, game, etc? Has to be a few, no?

 

[Lisa L from MI]

I drive DH nuts.......eventhough things aren't "running".....it is still a risk.....when our gas co came....and they also came to this house....they inspected EVERYTHING.......but I may just be too paranoid about things happening,,,hot water tank, stove, etc.........

did it stop going off?













8

 

[Tiggeroo]

It only stopped because he took the battery off. It wasn't going off constantly. Only sporadically. Can you imagine, not another thing in the house with the 9volt. Tons of things with aa batteries, a few things with C, a few triple A but no 9volt. Smoke detectors are plug in type, no batteries. So now I'm not sleeping. And I've set up several alarm clocks set at different times in case I fall asleep. And I called my sister and asked her to call me in a couple hours when she goes to work with instructions on what to do if nobody answers. Wow, am I paranoid. I really think it's the battery, but what if it's not ya know.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Better to be paranoid and alive, Tig. Good for you. Now tomorrow, make sure to go and get batteries, all sizes, to have on hand.

 

[Lisa L from MI]

can't you just call the gas co???

 

[C.Ann]

I would just call the Fire Department (had to do it here once).. It's their job and they're happy to do it.. Give them a call and if they suggest the gas co. instead, call them.. My DD called the gas company once and they were there in 10 minutes flat..

Better to be safe than sorry.. I would NOT sleep a wink - I'd be a wreck!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[GeorgeG]

Carbon Monoxide can come from different sources. We even exhale it when we breath. If your windows are open CO should not be a problem since the flow of fresh air would absorb it.

I work for an electric and gas utility and we've seen enough CO to set off detectors from just about anything, including a houseful of heavey smokers. We recently had a local fire department standing by on a CO call that turned out to be from a car running in the garage and nobody, even the fire department, thought to turn the car off!

I would take the detector out into the fresh air for a while, clean it, put in a new battery, and see what happens. If it still goes off, have the condo checked for CO migrating from another area, perhaps through ductwork or crawlspace.

For now, keep the windows open and you'll be okay.

 

[poohandwendy]

Take the battery out of your smoke detector (they usually run on 9 volts) and try it in the CO detector...or look in your alarm clock, they also usually have a 9V as a back up.

Edited to add...oops, looks like you tried my options...sorry...I hope you are able to get some sleep soon!

 

[Tiggeroo]

All is fine. Got a battery off of my neighbor. So far no beeping. But last night there were a couple of hours between it going off. I'll be having everything checked today. But no matter what, I didn't sleep last night.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Hiope all goes well today, Tig, get some rest later.

 

[Divamomto3]

Originally posted by GeorgeG
Carbon Monoxide can come from different sources. We even exhale it when we breath. If your windows are open CO should not be a problem since the flow of fresh air would absorb it.

I work for an electric and gas utility and we've seen enough CO to set off detectors from just about anything, including a houseful of heavey smokers. We recently had a local fire department standing by on a CO call that turned out to be from a car running in the garage and nobody, even the fire department, thought to turn the car off!

I would take the detector out into the fresh air for a while, clean it, put in a new battery, and see what happens. If it still goes off, have the condo checked for CO migrating from another area, perhaps through ductwork or crawlspace.

For now, keep the windows open and you'll be okay.

Not to be picky, but we don't exhale carbon monoxide. We exhale carbon DIOXIDE....a totally different thing.