CO Gases from Wood ???

**Joe Reilly** · 01-22-2021, 03:19 PM

Riddle me this as my head is shaking...

I ran across an article that stated

A MOTHER and her three-year-old son died from carbon monoxide poisoning as they slept after she closed their chimney to keep the youngster warm."

and it went on to say
"Experts found high levels of carbon monoxide in the bedroom and said the chimney damper of a wood stove, installed in there, was closed.

The smouldering embers in the stove produced the poisonous gas, which would have quickly filled the small room."

Has me wondering if wood in the Ukraine has gas in it...and do writers not research a dang thing...

The full article is here
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/137540...warm/#comments

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**Dom D'Agostino** · 01-22-2021, 05:50 PM

It's certainly tragic that a Mother and child died in such a way.

I'm no expert, but I thought CO gas comes from incomplete or incorrect combustion, and not just from gas fired appliances, if that's what you're implying.

**Joe Reilly** · 01-22-2021, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by Dom D'Agostino

It's certainly tragic that a Mother and child died in such a way.

I'm no expert, but I thought CO gas comes from incomplete or incorrect combustion, and not just from gas fired appliances, if that's what you're implying.

Incomplete or incorrect combustion of gas is correct ...the story said that it came from burning wood.

**Dom D'Agostino** · 01-22-2021, 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by Joe Reilly

Incomplete or incorrect combustion of gas is correct ...the story said that it came from burning wood.

Seems to be any fuel, including wood, according to experts.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsl...xide_poisoning

Additional PDF is also attached.

**Joe Reilly** · 01-22-2021, 07:26 PM

Originally Posted by Dom D'Agostino

Seems to be any fuel, including wood, according to experts.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsl...xide_poisoning

Additional PDF is also attached.

Interesting, Thanks for sharing

**Gunnar Alquist** · 01-23-2021, 01:34 PM

Joe,

Yes. Burning any kind of fuel can release CO if the combustion is incomplete. Wood, natural gas, propane, coal, gasoline, whatever. California requires a CO alarm in homes that have gas-fired appliances, attached garages, and/or fireplaces. If a home is all-electric, no fireplace, and no attached garage, a CO is not required.

**Gunnar Alquist** · 01-23-2021, 01:47 PM

I will say though that CO poisoning from a Zamboni was not my first thought.

**Rick Bunzel** · 02-07-2021, 08:12 PM

Originally Posted by Gunnar Alquist

Joe,

Yes. Burning any kind of fuel can release CO if the combustion is incomplete. Wood, natural gas, propane, coal, gasoline, whatever. California requires a CO alarm in homes that have gas-fired appliances, attached garages, and/or fireplaces. If a home is all-electric, no fireplace, and no attached garage, a CO is not required.

Here in Washington state we require CO detector is all residences regardless of whether there are gas service or attached garages. During power outages people will do strange things such as bring a BBQ into their living room or running a generator in a garage with the door partially closed to prevent theft. Even warming the car up with the front door partially open can bring CO into the home.

As they say an ounce of prevention..........

Rick

**Gunnar Alquist** · 02-08-2021, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by Rick Bunzel

... or running a generator in a garage with the door partially closed to prevent theft. Even warming the car up with the front door partially open can bring CO into the home.

Yes, attached garages here require a CO. I guess the state legislators do not want to stop folks from invoking Darwin by bringing a barbecue or generator into the house.

You can't really legislate against stupidity. People are going to find ways.

**Jack Feldmann** · 02-08-2021, 07:33 PM

I heard that cleaning an oven can produce CO. I have not verified it though.

**Gunnar Alquist** · 02-08-2021, 08:15 PM

Originally Posted by Jack Feldmann

I heard that cleaning an oven can produce CO. I have not verified it though.

Jack,

That is very interesting. I know that using a self-cleaning oven can be a problem for birds, but never really thought about CO. I looked online and most of what I read had no documentation, I did find these two articles, one from Iowa State U and the other from McGill University in Canada. Unfortunately, neither one provides a link to any original study, but I do rather view these as tentatively reliable sources.

https://www.abe.iastate.edu/extensio...anges-aen-205/
https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/he...-cleaning-oven

**tkaiser1** · 02-11-2021, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by Gunnar Alquist

Joe,

[ California requires a CO alarm in homes that have gas-fired appliances, attached garages, and/or fireplaces. If a home is all-electric, no fireplace, and no attached garage, a CO is not required.

Oregon has almost identical rules. Nevertheless, I'm constantly amazed how often I don't find them when/where I would expect to.

**Claude Lawrenson** · 02-13-2021, 06:48 AM

Originally Posted by Jack Feldmann

I heard that cleaning an oven can produce CO. I have not verified it though.

https://www.thedailymeal.com/healthy...e-oven-cleaner

**david shapiro** · 02-17-2021, 07:41 PM

Originally Posted by Gunnar Alquist

Yes, attached garages here require a CO.

You can't really legislate against stupidity. People are going to find ways.

If I remember right, there was at least one case where a remote started a car in a residential garage, and when the HO went into the garage, the CO finished them. I do not remember whether the HO was the person whose remote started the car.