Ptac island air gas heater exhaust smell

SDRNYC

Hey HH family ,

I rent an apartment in Brooklyn. The units have island air window splits ptac gas units. This winter the living room started to smell like exhaust after running the unit for about 30 mins. My wife and son can't smell it but man I really sensitive to it. I had the building tech pull it clean it, check it and put it back. They didn't find anything, but the smell came back. It doesn't smell like gas, and it doesn't smell like sweet refrigerant, it's like riding behind an old bus kicking fumes. Sometimes it's mile other times it's really strong, even where it feels like a slight burning in my chest. The unit is off now and we've shut the power and the gas off to the unit. Waiting on the super. Is there a test or device we could use to double check? My super is not the nicest guy. Let's just say we had a small gas leak in our oven, said there wasn't a leak and the gas company came the same day and found a small hole in the oven line. 

Thanks in advance. stephen 

EBEBRATT-Ed

You should have a CO monitor. CO detectors are ok but they sense CO at a higher level than the personal monitors you carry with you. Others will respond. I would not run it. You could call the gas utility and they could check for CO or combustible gas or the Fire dept.

But I am sure your super wouldn't like that

But you have to look out for yourself. Be safe. This is nothing to fool with or take lightly

HVACNUT

Where does it vent? Is it near a window?

Island Air is on Long Island. I'm not sure if they have a service division.

Jamie Hall

Your description is delightful — and helpful! Somehow you are getting combustion exhaust gas back into your apartment, and that is very bad indeed. As @EBEBRATT-Ed said, turn it off and leave it off until you can get someone to actually find the problem and fix it.

pecmsg

search Ang purchase LowLevel CO monitors.
the UL Approved early death alarms will not alert until 70PPM Is exceeded for up to 4 hours.