CO???

Dave Yates (PAH)

Where is the combustion air coming from? I've seen CO go haywire as combustion eats away at oxygen in tightly sealed mechanical spaces.

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Maine Ken

How to find CO cause

I got a call today where the HO had the fire department over due to CO issues yesterday. The HO explained to me that the FD detected 35ppm in a hallway, 20ppm on 1st floor and 40ppm in room where boiler is. Boiler room is 24x28. It shares a wall with a two car garage. FD tells HO that boiler is the cause.

I arrive and the HO has installed nighthawk detectors all over the house. In the boiler room there is a 0 showing and 52ppm peak. I tested the boiler and it is running with 12%CO2, 0 Smoke, -.10 draft, 4ppm CO.

There are no other fuel burning anythings in the house, HO stated no cars in or near garage.

Where can it be coming from!!!!!

Maine Ken

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Maine Ken

Its a 24x28 room with a loose double doors leading to the two car grudge. There was nothing especially tight about the construction. I am guessing the cars were backed up to the garage, but the ho swears not.

I tested when I got there, after a complete annual tune-up, I tested with doors shut and open. No difference whatsoever!

How long do the nighthawks hold the peak number? is it cumulative or just the peak reading???

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Constantin

Any other combustion appliances?

I seem to remember Tim posting some time back that a stove he tested came out to 800PPM CO, for example. There may also be a dryer, fireplace, etc. as the culprit. It pays to nose around! :-P

Maine Ken

Went through the whole list. All electric appliances, no fireplace, no other fuels in the residence. No candles, no kero lamps!!! If its not the vehicles I am stumped!!!

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rich pickering

Any car batteries being charged?

The Wire Nut...

Thoughts and guesses...

I'm no expert but here are some thoughts that popped in to my small cranium...

Smokers? (Children sneaking it in the boiler room?)
Near a parking garage or auto-repair (far fetched)...
Can different loads of fuel burn differently?
Could something have burned in the boiler (i.e. a "critter") and caused a temporary blip?
Could the recent spate of rainy and windy weather have done something (water in the stack, blowback?)

Sorry!

Alex
aka The Wire Nut

Maine Ken

Yes, car battery was on charger in garage! ???

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[Deleted User]

Jenn Air grill..

or other intermittently operated exhaust fan causing severe back draft conditions?

Call Jim DAvis at National Comfort Institute, and take his class the next chance you get.

ME

Jim Davis_3

CO-Battery Chargers

Ken,
Battery charges put out Hydrogen Sulfide which is known to affect most CO sensors on most alarms and make them go off. Most Alarms hold memory until erased. Cars running in driveways can still infiltrate houses which is why it is important to bring in make-up air to homes and try to keep them more positive or less negative.