Carbon Monoxide Testing

KaptKaos · 02-26-2008, 08:05 AM

I read a story in the last few days about carbon monoxide poisoning. It was in the UK, but something concerned me. They described the symptoms of CO poisoning as "cold-like."

I have three kids, and my little has had a bad cough. The cough is worse at night around her bedtime (8:00 PM, when the heater is running). The thermostat goes to 62 at 11:00 PM, and the heat hardly comes on. Her cough seems to subside a little by then. It could be the dry air or a dust allergy too, but I am concerned.

What can I use to test the house for CO? Anyone have experience with this?

TIA

Hugh R · 02-26-2008, 08:13 AM

You can get a CO meter in the form of a smoke alarm at Home Depot. The trouble with those, is that it measures an 8-hour time weighted average. I think the Gas company will come out and inspect/test for free.

Rot 911 · 02-26-2008, 08:20 AM

Get the CO meter that Hugh describes. I was actually staying somewhere that the heat exchanger cracked on the furnace and we all got CO poisoning! We were all asleep and I woke up with a headache like I had been hit over the head with a hammer. Also had some bad nausea. Couple of people actually threw up. We got outside and the symptoms cleared up in just a few minutes. No one was coughing.

On the other hand, both my daughter and I have winter allergies that are aggravated by dust blown around by the furnace. We both get a hacking cough. I take flonase for it and have no problems.

KaptKaos · 02-26-2008, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurt V

Get the CO meter that Hugh describes. I was actually staying somewhere that the heat exchanger cracked on the furnace and we all got CO poisoning! We were all asleep and I woke up with a headache like I had been hit over the head with a hammer. Also had some bad nausea. Couple of people actually threw up. We got outside and the symptoms cleared up in just a few minutes. No one was coughing.

On the other hand, both my daughter and I have winter allergies that are aggravated by dust blown around by the furnace. We both get a hacking cough. I take flonase for it and have no problems.

Oddly enough, 2 times last week I felt like I was hung over in the morning, but didn't have anything to drink. One evening, I really felt so awful, that I feel asleep on the couch and the wife left me there. No booze or anything involved.

I think I am heading to home despot right now.