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CO call at 5am

New customer and CO alarm going off with new batteries installed. My Sensorcon personal CO detector registered 0 ppm when entering the home and stayed there, as did my Bacharach Monoxor. I did a combustion analysis on both the water heater and furnace and CO was less than 20 ppm on both. B-vent was unobstructed and venting well, all visible joints solidly connected. No car started in the garage, dryer or stove weren't in use, and no fireplace. Advised her to get a new low level CO alarm.
Steve Minnich
SWEI

Comments

  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 15,583

    New customer and CO alarm going off with new batteries installed. My Sensorcon personal CO detector registered 0 ppm when entering the home and stayed there, as did my Bacharach Monoxor. I did a combustion analysis on both the water heater and furnace and CO was less than 20 ppm on both. B-vent was unobstructed and venting well, all visible joints solidly connected. No car started in the garage, dryer or stove weren't in use, and no fireplace. Advised her to get a new low level CO alarm.

    I've personally had this happen multiple times.
    2 or more CO detectors and one decides to start alarming for no apparent reason. It seems like this is how they fail. I don't know if it's true or not, but it also seems like having one near a bathroom door will cause it to fail sooner, perhaps due to humidity?

    This is why I always have multiple alarms now, if one starts alarming you'll know if it's just the alarm or if you should get out of the place.
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
  • FranklinD
    FranklinD Member Posts: 399
    Yep, I have also had the same thing happen several times over the years. Plug in and battery operated...doesn't seem to matter. Usually around the 5 year mark, it would seem. I usually replace them every 5 years anyway.

    A very good reason to have more than just a single unit.
    Ford Master Technician, "Tinkerer of Terror"
    Police & Fire Equipment Lead Mechanic, NW WI
    Lover of Old Homes & Gravity Hot Water Systems
    TinmanJean-David Beyer
  • Harvey Ramer
    Harvey Ramer Member Posts: 2,239
    Co/smokes have a max service life of 10 years. They should be replaced before that and they should all be replaced at the same time. Especially when they are interlinked as they are supposed to be.

    If someone elects not to, they will have quite a party in the middle of the night sometime. Usually about 3am. That's when they tend to go nuts. The dog will hastily crawl under the nearest bed with a look of sheer terror on his face. You'll be scrambling around in your pj's trying to find the dog call the fire company and get out of the house all at the same time.
    SWEIRomanGK_26986764589
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 15,583
    I've never had co last near 10. Years. Maybe 5 at the most.
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
  • 776v63
    776v63 Member Posts: 61
    I've been in the fire service for about 10 years. We get the same thing sometimes. No CO on our meter, but the homeowner's is going off. Usually advise them to replace it, after thoroughly checking the residence.
    Jean-David BeyerTinmanSWEI