Found out today that our furnace is releasing c02. The last two days I have felt the symptoms of mild c02 poisoning. NOW let me state that I think it is possibly a quinkedink and that while in fact our furnace has small cracks it may not have been leaking c02. (you know how these HVAC companies are, hype stuff up).

Anyway, the HVAC guy said he could not legally turn my furnace back on w/o me signing a waiver. Fiance and I decided to not use furnace just in case. New furnace being installed tomorrow.

So on to my questions.

Should I go to my doc and have a blood test completed to check c02 levels or should I just not worry about it?

Fiance has been feeling funny for a while too. Both of us for a while now have been very tired and lathargic. There are NO c02 detectors in our home. (that is changing)

This all could be stress related but I am not sure if I should call the doc or just not worry about it. I don't feel sick enough to seek attention I just don't know if I should and any advice is appreciated.

Thanks

 

This isn't the place to ask that kind if medical question. Call your physician and get his opinion. I know enough to say that CO (not CO2) poisoning can be deadly.

It isn't HVAC hype. They don't "hype stuff up". The HVAC tech was looking out for your safety and doing his job. Every year people die from poorly maintained furnaces.

A month or so ago there was a very long and very informative discussion regarding this subject. You might try a search on unvented fireplaces.

 

You're right, I should call my doc. BUT I anymore they won't tell you anything over the phone. They want to "see" you before they tell you anything. It is a liability to them. I asked it here b/c it was after hours of my docs office so I couldn't have called if I wanted. I figured as large as this forum is I would find a knowlegable person who may have had exp w/ very minor exposure and exp some sickness.
Also, I will bet they couldn't fit me in this week as well. So REALLY what is the harm in me asking here??????

I don't have the time to take off from work and sure don't want to spend the money if I don't have to. I figured since I wasn't exp serious illness I was fine but no where online did I find any info saying that you DON'T need to seek medical attention if you were exposed and are not seriouslyl ill or mildly ill.

IMO, the HVAC guy hyped it. He didn't test for c02 and told me before leaving that I could run the heat but I shouldn't run it for long. Oh, and lets not forget the sales tactics he pulled. I didn't go into that b/c it has nothing to do w/ my question.

 

Gas furnance and no carbon monoxide detector? That's risky business. Carbon monoxide is called 'the silent killer.' You can't see it, smell it, or taste it.

Depending on the amount inhaled, carbon monoxide can impede coordination, worsen cardiovascular conditions, and produce fatigue, headache, weakness, confusion, disorientation, nausea, and dizziness. Very high levels can cause death. Some think they have the flue or food poisoning. Fetuses, infants, elderly, and people with heart and respiratory problems are at high risk.
An estimated 500 people die each year as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning and thousands of others end up in the hospital emergency rooms.

It is your responsibility to get regular inspection and servicing of gas appliances and to install carbon monoxide detectors to keep you and your family safe. Inspection of furnance flue is important to make sure it is clear.

Shut off the furnace. Open up the windows and run fans to improve air circulation. If necessary, get a motel room until the unit is repaired or replaced.

If you think you have carbon monoxide poisoning, get fresh air immediately. Prolonged exposure to fresh air (or pure oxygen) is required to replace the carbon monoxide in the blood.

Open doors and windows. Turn off gas appliances and leave the house!!! Go to the Emergency Room and tell them that you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning. If others in the home are complaining of similar symptoms which appeared at the same time and you are using a fuel-burning appliance, then it's likely carbon monoxide poisoning. This is likely true if you have failed to get annual inspections of your heating system, chimneys, and flues and have not had them cleaned by a qualified technician.

 

Liz - The harm in asking for a medical opinion here is pretty obvious if you think about it. How many medical professionals you are going to offer advice here?

CO poisoning can be deadly. It can have long term effects on the body. Do you think any responsible person here is going to tell you "it's OK don't worry about it".

Did your CO detector alarm sound to warn you that there was a problem? The HVAC guy probably just took a look at the condition of your furnace and determined that it had combustion or venting problems. You don't necessarily have to do a CO test for that. You posted that you were replacing the furnace so something must have been wrong.

 

I didn't expect someone w/ a medical background to advise me. I was looking for someone who may have had a simulare exp and a simple, "yeah this happened to me, I called the doc and they said ....... and I would recomend ......."

Since I know very little about CO (reason I don't have CO detector) and the hvac guy didn't say I should seek medical attention and I didn't find the answers I was looking for when I googled, I figured I would have a shot at getting a response on a large forum.

Twelvpole- thx for the info but is an ER visit really required in my situation.
While I may have been exposed and may have had a mild reaction (dizzy, light headed, nausea two days in a row after waking up and clearing soon after leaving for work), do I really need an ER visit at this point. (you don't need to anwere). Since I shut off furnace yesterday morning before leaving for work and it has not been on since and I did open windows yesterday etc etc, I think I am fine. I just didn't know if it was standard practice to seek medical attention w/ mild (very mild) symtoms.

Wayne- see above for my response about the med pro.
No, a responsible person would ask questions then give their opinion. Just as twelvpole did.

No co detector. Working on changing that and picking one up before new furnace is installed which has been changed to Friday night.

Furnace has been maintained and the "cracks" were hair thin. According to hvac guy, they could have happened over the last few months. (go figure)

There was also another part that was "off balance" and would have cost me $400 to replace. The enducer is what had the cracks. Hvac guy said I should just replace the whole thing.

 

You are very lucky you are alive.

You should really have had a CO detector. The HVAC tech did what was proper since this is a very serious situation. In fact, in most areas, he was required to tag it by law if there was an observable crack. What he saw was only a small part of the exchanger and there could be more. A thorough inspection would require some dis-assembly.

A crack in a heat exchanger can open up overnight and kill an entire family in an hour or two while they are sleeping. That is why dectectors are usually required by code.

Usually, heat exchanger cracks are found during seasonal furnace maintenance inspections or during pre-purchase home inspections that can end up being deal-breakers. Some furnace models are susceptable after 10-15 years, while others show up a few years later. There is even a list of questionable models and where to look.

Dick

 

can you supply some direction to that list? I would like to check to see if mine is listed.

Liz, as the others have explained, this can be a very serious situation and shouldn;t be passed off. There was a family down the street from me that had a leaky pool heater (indoor swimming pool) and they were all found unconcious. Luckily, they all survived.

You may or may not be having symptoms of CO poisoning. If you do not intend on getting checked, at least go out and get a CO detector today (before you go to bed). Your furnace may have been a source of CO and I understand you are not running it. My brother had an oven that tripped his CO detector. You may be getting CO from something other than the furnace.

Be careful and think with your head more than you think with your wallet.

 

I received a partial exchanger listing when I took a home inspection course. - Models and years and things to look for.

Nothing official, but I would imagine this thing is circulated.

Heat exchangers are miserable things to inspect since you really see little and the list was a big help. Since you cannot get to or are allowed to probe, many good inspectors will just recommend that a HVAC person look at it. Difficult diagnosis and big liability!!

I missed a crack on a furnace (20 yrs old) in a house I bought. Luckily, the service man caught it when doing the annual servicing for summer. He tagged it and shut off the gas to the furnace. I took it apart and poked my finger through the exchanger after a new furnace was instaled.

Dick

 

Asking a doctor to diagnose you over the phone is like asking your mechanic to figure out what's wrong with your car without letting him open the hood. There's good reason you were told to "see" and doctor, not call one. Carbon monoxide (CO) attaches itself more readily than oxygen does to hemoglobin molecules, thus depriving your cells of oxygen. There is treatment to help get it out of your body. Until you do, you will have an oxygen poor body. I hope you can see that's not a good idea.

 

I wonder if DIYLiz has a gas dryer or a gas water heater? No CO detector, symptoms that sound like CO poisoning and only looking at the furnace.

 

We did get a co detector Friday night. So far so good. I have heard about co but no one has ever said to me that it is almust a must to have if you have a gas furnace, water heater, etc. I also intend to educate my buyer. If only someone had done that for me.

After this incident I can assure I will never live in a home again w/o one. I am also making sure my friends and family member have co detectors.

I appreciate the advice and I feel confident that the symptoms I was having were mere coincidents and that in fact while our furnace had cracks it was more than likely not leaking.


Thanks again everyone.

 

Does anyone know what the average life span of a CO detector is?

 

Life expectancy of carbon monoxide detector depends on what type it is.

Gel type with battery - 2 yrs.
Electronic type - 5-10 yrs.

More info: http://www.vinelandcity.org/prevention/codetect.htm

 

Liz, you're saying CO2.

CO2 = Carbon Dioxide
CO = Carbon Monoxide.