I have a Fireangel 7-Year CO alarm fitted for the gas fire in my lounge a year ago. It responds properly to testing.
Lately I have become suspicious of an unusual drowsiness and occasional cough I am experiencing there during the evening TV watch and am wondering if there is some small concentration of CO creeping under the radar. Is this type of alarm likely to pick very small emissions up?
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Placement is important.
Because carbon monoxide is slightly lighter than air and also because it may be found with warm, rising air, detectors should be placed on a wall about 5 feet above the floor. The detector may be placed on the ceiling. Do not place the detector right next to or over a fireplace or flame-producing appliance.
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My placing conforms to that. I am wondering whether to get a check done from a gasman possessing a professional, super-sensitive meter.
Except I did that decades ago, living in a 100-year old cottage nearby. I reported smelling gas in the front garden (not of course CO as such, which is odourless). All hell broke loose and at one point the road was sealed off. After a diligent search/meter probe check I was assured there was no leak.
The inspection gang was about to disperse when one of them said, "Hang on, I CAN smell gas!" They dug up the feed pipe from the street and showed me a section they had cut free. The top quarter was thick, the sides progressively thinner and the bottom quarter was absent. The main flow had been contained by the underlying clay.
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If I was in any doubt I'd get it checked, while getting the fire serviced. I mentioned here recently that I was nearly overcome with it in my 20s, and also SWMBOs friend's dad died recently as a result of a leak.
So much better to be safe than sorry.
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20+ years ago walking past a Gas Pressure station at the foot of the road I smelled gas.
About 2 hours later a chap came to the door lambasting me for wasting Gas Company time & money.
I asked him to calm down and agreed that I would go down the road and explain the problem. He had opened the door & walked round the gas station and found nothing. He had not thought of widening his movements. About 10-15 yards behind the station his meter jumped into action.
2+ days later, 3 x vans, 6 x people + digger they had dug out the ground, fixed the leak, put in new pipes and left.
It was 20+ year valves that had corroded
A month later I called them again - what had been a grassy patch was now a mudhole. They reluctantly agreed for somebody to come along and fix the slope & throw down some seed.
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A couple of years ago one of our neighbours' small dog became poorly. The vet diagnosed Carbon Monoxide poisoning. It turned out a newly installed gas fire had been put in wrongly. The local building company who put it in lost their gas accreditation as a result. It could of course have been a lot worse had the neighbour herself succumbed.
It surprised me that the lady had no symptoms and but the "low to the floor" dog was severely affected .
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Animals have a much greater sensitivity to environment, hence birds in cages in mines. Dogs are particularly easy to poison in many ways
Last edited by: Zero on Tue 9 Mar 21 at 12:19
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>>........ but the "low to the floor" dog was severely affected .
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.....Dachshund?.....
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>>Lately I have become suspicious of an unusual drowsiness and occasional cough I am experiencing there during the evening TV watch
Don't dick around with it, get an expert in. The possible dangers are scary.
There is a time and place for internet advice, this is neither.
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Done that today. Lounge Gazco gas fire and Canon kitchen stove both CO free. Before testing, the gas fitter, from the local Gazco agency, took one look at the fire and said "That wants servicing, now!". I told him it had been serviced in October. I fact, I had been a bit suspicious of the Checkatrade service man who serviced it in spite of his near-10 rating, whom I hadn't observed working. I told the fitter to go ahead afresh.
He wasn't kidding, the fire was full of muck and had broken components. He pulled the whole thing out, cleaned it thoroughly and reassembled it safely pro tem, pending arrival of new spares.
I had had a bad experience with a Checkatrade artisan in another context so will be wary of them in future. I don't know if its members undergo technical checks. Perhaps it is only a publicity service. I imagine Which's Trusted Traders is more, well, trustworthy.
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>>Perhaps it is only a publicity service
As I recall to be added a trader has to prove their insurance and certification and provide references for previous work done. I don't think there are any physical reviews.
At that point it is an advertising/search service.
Then checkatrade allows reviews to be left.
So it is also a feedback/review service.
Last edited by: No FM2R on Wed 17 Mar 21 at 14:28
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I understand it's quite expensive for them to be on Checkatrade too - upwards of £400 - £500 rings a bell and I expect some good 'uns don't bother as they seem to get plenty of work just by word of mouth.
Being able to read genuine feedback is handy though.
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Carbon monoxide detection - Zero
