Where do I buy a real CO detector?

Uni R

http://www.coexperts.com/

I agree that the UL/CSA standards are too lax for CO detectors although I only know what the CSA standard is from secondhand sources. I wrote the CSA to find out what is the standard and they basically told me I could download the standard for $250.

Robert O'Connor_3

Where to get a real CO detector?

My heating professional recently certified my home furnace as not dumping CO into my my basemnent, but I'd like to take my own measurements (his detector was a Nighthawk, isn't that the Home Depot kind that we're not supposed to use?) Are there any recommendations as to what brand of CO detector I should get? Where can I buy it?

I found one by searching Yahoo!

http://www.aeromedix.com/index.php?_siteid=aeromedix&_sessid=c27cc7003d7920c3bfc4e9f786e2c899&action=sku&sku=coex

Is it any good?
Thank you,
Ben

C-TEC

CO Detector

I can help but I need to know what your intentions are.
Are you a contractor or homeowner?
Are you planning on testing for CO or just need an emergency alarm?

Constantin

The COExperts unit is an excellent buy!

The CO Experts unit is one of two good choices on the market, the other being the rather more stylish unit sold by the national comfort institute.

The price that is quoted on that site for the COExperts unit is excellent as well. If everything I read here and elsewhere is true, you cannot go wrong with a COExperts unit. Best of all, it's quite portable and battery-powered so it can be adopted to many places beyond the home, like boats, planes, etc. where CO lurks just as easily.

Robert O'Connor_3

Use of CO detector

I am a homeowner, and I want to use the unit to take readings around the basement gas fired appliances. If it can measure the %CO in the flue gasses as well, that would be fantastic. I know the avarage homeowner probably just wants an alarm, but that's not me. From 1990-2003, I was a researcher (in various aspects of chemistry), and I prefer to measure my own data whenever possible. I'm trying to answer questions like the following: Do we have CO in the basement? How much? Which appliance is the culprit? If there are good detectors out there, then I prefer to address problems at 10-15 ppm, rather than expose my family to CO until the Nighthawk activates at 50ppm.

LEAD PIPE

50 ppm

Maybe, but after how many hours? days? Getting a low level detector is a good idea but it can't test flue gas. Ask around I'm sure you can find someone who has an analyzer. If you are looking to walk around your house testing the space for CO (this is fine but it’s not telling you that the equipment is working properly) I recommend you try to find a CO experts "2002" model it starts reading CO at 5 ppm after about 5-10 sec. If you can't find one you can get a hold of me I bought up a bunch for when I come across a family with sickly child. You can reach me here www.cotesting.com
Try to find one on your own first though because the ones I have left are precious to me.

Nick W

I thought COexperts and NCI detectors could only be purchased by professionals or certificate holders.

That was the deal when I took Jim Davis' class last year.

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LEAD PIPE

you are 1/2 right

The NSI detector can only be bought at NCI but you can find the co experts model on line.

Jim Davis_5

First things first!!! If your contractor used a Nighthawk to test your house, you got ripped.. The man doesn't have a clue about what he is doing. It takes hours for CO to build up in a closed environment before it is detectable. Unless the appliance is tested directly in the flue gases safety cannot be promised. Then other test procedure must be taken to ensure nothing interfers with the operation of any of your equipment. I can't believe a contractor has the nerve to be so ignorant and still take your money and give you nothing but false sercurity.

John-only the NSI is sold to professionals that are certified. CO Experts can be purchased by anyone that has money. It is better than the UL standard but its first alarm level is now 25ppm which is not safe for infants or elderly. Only NSI, which alarms at 15ppm, must be purchased by a trained contractor that knows what to do if it goes off and know how to properly educate his customers on the real facts.

Nick W

Thank you.

Thanks for setting me straight.

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John Shea

a little OFF subject, but...

Does anyone still do saltwater tests in the flue?

Is that test just to determine if you have a leak?

C-TEC

Benjamin

What we need to do now is find out what state and city you live in. That way Mr. Davis can help you find a CO certified contractor who can provide you with the detector or tester you need. I have attended Jim's classes and must say that he is the expert on this subject.
Your safety is our #1 issue!

Robert O'Connor_3

Thanks everyone

Thank you to everyone for all the answers; I'm getting a great education here. To answer the last question, I live in Philadelphia, PA.

In defense of my heating contractor, he didn't charge me anything for the test. I told him about the hole in the furnace casing, and he dropped off the Nighthawk, and told me to leave it plugged in over the furnace for 12-24 hrs. He emphasized that it takes the full time for the alarm to go off, so I shouldn't assume the system is safe if it still reads 0.0 after 30 min. Earlier in the season, I gave him "the lost art of steam heating", after he fixed my water hammer problem (which I did pay for). This guy's not nickel and diming me, he just charges for parts and labor.