CO on Good Morning America

rudy_2

They finally aired the CO segment this am, I'd be curious if anybody gets calls from customers to test for CO. The link to the article on the ABC website is:

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/GMA/Hazelton/Carbon_monoxide_poisoning_031223-1.html

Yesterday I spoke with Ron Hazelton who put the segment together - should be interesting, he is taking the Monoxor II we sent them home with him today to check his own equipment, said he'd give me a call if he had questions or found any problems.

jim sokolovic

Homeowners doing their own CO testing?

Of course testing for CO should be brought to people's attention, but having the right person do it under the worst conditions (other equipment on, draft imposed, etc.) is the only way to be sure of safety at all times. Someone doing a random test may uncover something, but also false assurance may be created if they do not find anything. I am assuming the person mentioned is not a trained technician, but I'm sure there will be lots of cases where a novice is given a tester to borrow and no specific procedure for setting the equipment's operation. This could be as bad a problem as the DIYs that install their own equipment.

rudy_2

You are absolutely right Jim

But when I spoke to Ron yesterday, one question he asked was how to find a competent contractor to do the testing.

My guess is that he could call a hundred HVAC companies in his area, 10 might have the instruments, 1 might do (as you described) thorough testing of equipment on every job.

I run up against this all the time when I get calls from home inspectors. They find a potentially serious problem but can't find any contractor with the test instruments and expertise to determine what is going on and provide resolution.

We'll see if I hear from him.....

jim sokolovic

It's a tough business to in, if you have a conscionce...

I was talked into examining a gas water heater, at a customer's house that I was doing my oil burner side work, several years ago. They had removed their CO detector, because it kept going off, but no one found a problem or any CO when they were called in. I took readings myself - no CO, burner looked like new, there was no back pressure, but the temperature control knob over the burner air opening was melted. I changed the flue "T" to a "Y", sealed where the vent pipe was open in various places, looked down the chimney from the top, rechecked the readings under every circumstance that I could think of, and put in a new CO detector. I still wasn't comfortable - I kept looking at that warped knob and wondering what had happened. The last thing that I did was to place a tiny birthday candle on top of the knob, and scared the people into promising to check the candle for melting and self-check the detector each day! That was my one and only field job on gas equipment, and I still think about it! What do the guys who replace a part, don't check anything, and don't converse with the homeowner about safety think about?

Unknown

Should be made a part of

required training for liscensing and a mandatory test anytime a tech is in a customers home.

I am soliciting The Beacon Mutual Insurance Company here locally to include me on their "Prevention Works for Safety" Seminar Schedule. I am willing to do it (a CO presentation)for nothing(if I have to that is) because I feel very strongly about this.