Just a reminder that CO can be a deadly intruder. Judge and his wife died from CO poisoning

When I was a detective doing death investigations I got called to a house in Thornton, where a family of eight was dead from CO. Seems a cousin had pulled in to the attached garage after a night of drinking and closed the door, without turning off the car. He fell asleep behind the wheel gassing everyone, kids included, to death overnight.

We have a detector on every level in our house, and I think everyone ought to. They last about 7 or 8 years, we had to replace 2 of the 3 about 18 months ago. I think they were cheaper than when we put them in in 2007.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Dresden, September 20, 2017 12:25 AM

I put one near every ignition source: gas dryer, furnace, water heater, fire place, stove, etc. Cheap insurance against a quiet death.

Thanks for the reminder. We replaced one that went out-of-date this year.

Especially now with a remote-start equipped van in the attached garage. I don't want to wake up dead.

Such an easy solution to a deadly problem.

Got some Nest CO & fire detectors about a year ago to replace 20-year old units the builder originally installed. They haven't detected CO yet, but we have had several "heads-up" warnings about smoke from the wife's cooking. Smartphone app lets me check their status from anywhere as long as the house wifi remains operational.

Thanks for the reminder!

When I lived in Alaska, I flipped on the gas fireplace and walked out of the room. A few minutes later, I came back and the cats were wobbling and I couldn't catch my breath. I flipped on the 1/2 baths exhaust (entry to half bath was from the room with fireplace), threw open the sliding glass door, and shutoff the gas fireplace. It was about -15F outside and the exhaust vent had frozen shut on the fireplace.

If you're buying new, purchase the CO detectors digital screen to show you levels of carbon monoxide in your home. I now have one in all rooms with a fireplace and in MBR.

CO detectors are like 20 bucks a pop at Walmart. There is no reason at all for anyone to be dying of CO poisoning anymore other than sheer laziness.

I've got them in basement, first floor and outside each bedroom of my house.

quote:

Originally posted by Fenris:
I put one near every ignition source: gas dryer, furnace, water heater, fire place, stove, etc. Cheap insurance against a quiet death.

You need to have them outside each bedroom as well.

During Irma's power outages we have had several CO problems associated with poor location of portable generators.

In addition to strong advice about generator location the Emergency Centers were advising battery powered CO Detectors/warning devices.

And a year and a half ago a family of six died in their home in Fenton, outside of Flint Michigan. The father ran a generator in the basement during a power outage.


I get the thing about being concerned over a generator being stolen. At a minimum chain the generator to a vehicle parked in the yard, chain it to a tree, a deck, anything but inside a building. Even a garage with the door open is a risk IMO.

If you are a costco member they have a set of three co/smoke detectors on sale for $79.95 on line. The units connect wireless to each other, one goes off they all go off.

I ordered a set they should be here this week.

I think the sale goes through the end of the month.

I think you guys are way over thinking this. The guy in Colorado died because of a drunk (who I hope also died). Depending on the configuration of your home, putting one at every possible ignition source and one outside each bedroom seems like overkill to me. If your furnace and hot water heater both operate on gas and are close, one will cover that. I have a detached garage and I surely don't need one for that duty.

One by our bedroom might make sense, probably more sense in the bedroom.

I had one in the old house. In the basement with all of those gas appliances within feet of each other. It never went off over maybe 15 years. One evening I lit a cigar and blew smoke directly into it and it chirped.

quote:

Originally posted by rburg:
I think you guys are way over thinking this. The guy in Colorado died because of a drunk (who I hope also died).

Nope.

If they had CO detectors outside their bedrooms or at least in the main floor of the house, they most likely would have been alerted and would have lived.

quote:

Originally posted by shovelhead:
And a year and a half ago a family of six died in their home in Fenton, outside of Flint Michigan. The father ran a generator in the basement during a power outage.


I get the thing about being concerned over a generator being stolen. At a minimum chain the generator to a vehicle parked in the yard, chain it to a tree, a deck, anything but inside a building. Even a garage with the door open is a risk IMO.

Happens multiple times a year. It's sad, they are $40. Most houses need either one or two. Hallways central to bedrooms. The idiots with generators or grills in doors almost deserve to die, but their families don't.

Buy some guys they are worth the cost.

I treat them like smoke detectors, and keep one in every bedroom (that's occupied), as well as one in the basement next to the garage and in the living room/kitchen area, where we have a gas stove and gas logs. Batteries in everything (smoke detectors, CO detectors, and safe) get changed each year whenever we "fall-back".

quote:

Originally posted by barndg00:
I treat them like smoke detectors

Some of them do both now.

The house we are in has a generator transfer switch in the garage. The previous homeowner left a set of instructions that he typed up for operation.

One of the lines was to start generator, leave the side door open and open the garage door about a foot. In his mind this was enough ventilation.

Maybe in his mind it was enough. Not in my mind is it enough.

quote:

One of the lines was to start generator, leave the side door open and open the garage door about a foot. In his mind this was enough ventilation.

In no way is that enough ventilation.

One family had a very serious problem because the generator was outside close to the overhang and in a wind blowing toward the house.
During outages many people have windows open which can also be a problem, not just with CO but fumes.

We had a number of CO poisonings and a few deaths back during a severe ice storm several years ago that knocked power out for over a week. A number of cases of folks running improperly ventilated generators or heaters, and even some cases of folks firing up their BBQ grills inside.

quote:

Originally posted by shovelhead:
The house we are in has a generator transfer switch in the garage. The previous homeowner left a set of instructions that he typed up for operation.

One of the lines was to start generator, leave the side door open and open the garage door about a foot. In his mind this was enough ventilation.

Maybe in his mind it was enough. Not in my mind is it enough.

What the what!?!?! A generator installed in the garage??? No matter how many doors or windows you open that is dangerous as shit. It should have never passed inspection and I would have refused to install it if he contacted me regarding the install.

Is this a portable generator? If so just run it outside with a longer cord.

Generators can not be installed within 5' of any openings into the home, this includes vents and exhaust in addition to doors and windows.

quote:

Originally posted by mke229:
Great reminder. I'll add that you should keep the CO detectors low to the ground (ie. bedroom detector lower than the bed) as CO is heavier than air and will build from the floor level up.

Where did you read that? All the instructions I read for mine said to place them higher up even the upstairs ones. Mine are above the door frames.