Gotcha
which CO meter?
A true combustion analyzer will run you $800-$900 on the cheap end up tp $2000 plus for a decent commercial unit either bacharach or testo. But these are not practical for the basic homeowner as they need to go back yearly for calibration,service. An that is usually $300. Plus. Stick with a regular kidde CO detector close to the stove. I run an ac one as wellas a battery one too i actually found a cheap one on amazon that gives you an actual digital reading and have compared it with my combustion analyzer and it was spot on.
Now that I am finally burning some coal, and I have been wanting to measure the amount of carbon monoxide in the room while the stove is burning, I purchased a meter.
I had been eyeing the Fluke CO-220 since Keepaeyeonit mentioned he had one and seemed positive about it. After considering I probably will not use it much I ended up purchasing the REED Instruments R9400 which has a similar accuracy and repeatability as the Fluke, except the REED has a 60 second warmup on start before it will perform any measurements.
My father/mother in-law's house had a static 8 ppm reading. They have a natural gas furnace, and a vent-free gas log in the fireplace. I had him start the gas log and it measured 6 ppm all around the fireplace. Their range is electric. I intend to take a measurement in their utility room when their furnace is on.
I read somewhere online that 12-18 ppm is common for a residence with gas appliances.
At home, I measure 0 ppm around the UMCO 28 potbelly coal stove. A 0 ppm around the modern EPA firewood burning fireplace insert, and 0 ppm the rest of the house. We have no propane or natural gas appliances. I did measure a flash 6 ppm when I was using the propane torch to start the coal stove. I also have a pellet burning fireplace insert, but have not had it running this year yet.
My mother has a propane fired furnace and I intend to take the meter with me next time I go over.
I had been eyeing the Fluke CO-220 since Keepaeyeonit mentioned he had one and seemed positive about it. After considering I probably will not use it much I ended up purchasing the REED Instruments R9400 which has a similar accuracy and repeatability as the Fluke, except the REED has a 60 second warmup on start before it will perform any measurements.
My father/mother in-law's house had a static 8 ppm reading. They have a natural gas furnace, and a vent-free gas log in the fireplace. I had him start the gas log and it measured 6 ppm all around the fireplace. Their range is electric. I intend to take a measurement in their utility room when their furnace is on.
I read somewhere online that 12-18 ppm is common for a residence with gas appliances.
At home, I measure 0 ppm around the UMCO 28 potbelly coal stove. A 0 ppm around the modern EPA firewood burning fireplace insert, and 0 ppm the rest of the house. We have no propane or natural gas appliances. I did measure a flash 6 ppm when I was using the propane torch to start the coal stove. I also have a pellet burning fireplace insert, but have not had it running this year yet.
My mother has a propane fired furnace and I intend to take the meter with me next time I go over.
- Keepaeyeonit
- Member
- Posts: 1680
- Joined: Wed. Mar. 24, 2010 7:18 pm
- Location: Northeast Ohio.( Grand river wine country )
- Baseburners & Antiques: Glenwood #8
- Coal Size/Type: Nut & stove
- Other Heating: 49 year old oil furnace, and finally a new heat pump
Agreed!
I recall a television show that talked about late 19th and early 20th century scientific and investigative advances into the understanding and recognition of poisonings, and the segment on carbon monoxide only talked of gas and oil burners, police photos of people fully dressed dead in their parlor chairs or sofa. Also, they showed some photos of those women that suffered from radium poisoning, aweful!
I tried a quick internet search, see if I could find that 12-18 ppm reference again, I didn't find it, probably not searching the same set of keywords. However, I did find this this time:
https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/what-a ... xide-homes
"Average levels in homes without gas stoves vary from 0.5 to 5 parts per million (ppm). Levels near properly adjusted gas stoves are often 5 to 15 ppm and those near poorly adjusted stoves may be 30 ppm or higher."
"No standards for CO have been agreed upon for indoor air. The U.S. National Ambient Air Quality Standards for outdoor air are 9 ppm (40,000 micrograms per meter cubed) for 8 hours, and 35 ppm for 1 hour."
also:
https://gaslab.com/blogs/articles/carbon-monoxide ... vels-chart
"While exact short term and long term CO levels recommended by ASHRAE, OSHA, NIOSH and other organizations differ, the consensus is that 9 ppm (parts-per-million) is the maximum indoor safe carbon monoxide level over 8 hours."
I recall a television show that talked about late 19th and early 20th century scientific and investigative advances into the understanding and recognition of poisonings, and the segment on carbon monoxide only talked of gas and oil burners, police photos of people fully dressed dead in their parlor chairs or sofa. Also, they showed some photos of those women that suffered from radium poisoning, aweful!
I tried a quick internet search, see if I could find that 12-18 ppm reference again, I didn't find it, probably not searching the same set of keywords. However, I did find this this time:
https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/what-a ... xide-homes
"Average levels in homes without gas stoves vary from 0.5 to 5 parts per million (ppm). Levels near properly adjusted gas stoves are often 5 to 15 ppm and those near poorly adjusted stoves may be 30 ppm or higher."
"No standards for CO have been agreed upon for indoor air. The U.S. National Ambient Air Quality Standards for outdoor air are 9 ppm (40,000 micrograms per meter cubed) for 8 hours, and 35 ppm for 1 hour."
also:
https://gaslab.com/blogs/articles/carbon-monoxide ... vels-chart
"While exact short term and long term CO levels recommended by ASHRAE, OSHA, NIOSH and other organizations differ, the consensus is that 9 ppm (parts-per-million) is the maximum indoor safe carbon monoxide level over 8 hours."