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Carbon Monoxide alarms with digital readout (display) are very helpful in finding the source of carbon monoxide. When troubleshooting keep in mind:
♦ It takes time for CO to reach the alarm.
♦ The alarm itself also has some latency. Due to these two factors the alarm may start showing reading or sounding alarm an hour after the incident.
♦ When the central air is running, either furnace or air conditioner, it carries CO around the house. The alarm that reacted the first, is not necessarily the closest to the source.
Sometimes the source of CO is easy to locate. If you have several detectors in the house, one of them may show much higher reading than others. Most probably the source is somewhere close to that alarm.
♦ It takes time for CO to reach the alarm.
♦ The alarm itself also has some latency. Due to these two factors the alarm may start showing reading or sounding alarm an hour after the incident.
♦ When the central air is running, either furnace or air conditioner, it carries CO around the house. The alarm that reacted the first, is not necessarily the closest to the source.
Sometimes the source of CO is easy to locate. If you have several detectors in the house, one of them may show much higher reading than others. Most probably the source is somewhere close to that alarm.
Some Carbon Monoxide incidents are not so obvious. The problem may come and go. If the problem persists, try to identify a pattern. When help comes, your observations are very important since you is the only person who has all the information. Try to remember what happened within one hour before the alarm showed the presence of Carbon Monoxide. Everything matters: day of the week, time of the day, everything that was going on inside and outside of the house. A few examples to stress “everything matters” even more.
♦ Complain that the Carbon Monoxide alarm is sounding on the main floor. Alarms on other levels were not showing presence of CO. Gas appliances inspection did not reveal any problem. The owner recalled that before letting kids into the backyard, they were sprayed with mosquito repellent close to the alarm. Soon after the alarm went off. Observation helped to solve the mystery.
♦ Complain that the Carbon Monoxide alarm is sounding on the main floor. Alarms on other levels were not showing presence of CO. Gas appliances inspection did not reveal any problem. The owner recalled that before letting kids into the backyard, they were sprayed with mosquito repellent close to the alarm. Soon after the alarm went off. Observation helped to solve the mystery.
Finding the Source of Carbon Monoxide
Look for a pattern. Everything Matters
♦ Complain that the alarm was showing some Carbon Monoxide in the basement every time during laundry. The laundry room, the gas furnace and the gas water heater were in the same basement. It turned out to be partially blocked water heater’s vent was responsible for the Carbon Monoxide in the basement. When the laundry started taking hot water, the water heater would kick in. Some products of combustion spilled inside and showed up on CO alarm’s display. Pattern: alarm sounds every time during laundry.
♦ Complain that the CO alarm in the hallway upstairs goes off every time when someone is taking shower in the bathroom upstairs or soon after shower. No Carbon Monoxide was found in the house. The alarm was wired-in type attached to the ceiling upstairs. When the alarm was taken from the ceiling, condensation was found on the back and inside of the alarm. Condensation came from the bathroom through the broken exhaust vent. Pattern: always upstairs alarm only; coincided with shower.
♦ On some business days Carbon Monoxide alarm goes off around 9 AM. Inspection found CO in the house. Gas appliances were not the source. Before going to work soon after 8 AM, the owner warms up car close to the house with the garage door open. On some days, wind blows toward the house and pushes exhaust fumes into the attached garage. From there CO trickles into the house enough to trigger the CO alarm by 9 AM. Pattern: business days only; every time around 9 AM.
♦ Complain that the CO alarm in the hallway upstairs goes off every time when someone is taking shower in the bathroom upstairs or soon after shower. No Carbon Monoxide was found in the house. The alarm was wired-in type attached to the ceiling upstairs. When the alarm was taken from the ceiling, condensation was found on the back and inside of the alarm. Condensation came from the bathroom through the broken exhaust vent. Pattern: always upstairs alarm only; coincided with shower.
♦ On some business days Carbon Monoxide alarm goes off around 9 AM. Inspection found CO in the house. Gas appliances were not the source. Before going to work soon after 8 AM, the owner warms up car close to the house with the garage door open. On some days, wind blows toward the house and pushes exhaust fumes into the attached garage. From there CO trickles into the house enough to trigger the CO alarm by 9 AM. Pattern: business days only; every time around 9 AM.
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