Carbon Monoxide Alarm - What's a safe PPM reading?

[bitchstewie]

The Carbon Monoxide detector in the lounge started blipping a red light every minute for a 100ppm detection the other day.

The alarm didn't go off.

Fire installer/gas engineer came out and tested the fire and the flue is clear and drawing from well outside of the fire so he's confident there's nothing untoward with the fire or the flue/chimney.

I got another alarm which is a Kidde one with a LCD display on the front showing the CO level.

https://www.kidde.com/fire-safety/en/uk/products/f...

Only thing is it's at 0 because it's new but whilst the manual says what a "low" level is it doesn't really say whether it should be permanently on 0 or what "normal" would be if it's in a room with a gas fire in it.

[kambites]

WHO recommend indoor CO levels never exceed an average of 9ppm for any eight-hour period or 25 ppm for any one-hour period. The hard upper limit for even short-term exposure in a workplace in the UK is 200ppm.

I wouldn't be happy with 100ppm in my house, but are you sure the original alarm wasn't broken?

Edited by kambites on Sunday 25th February 17:07

[Equus]

Google is your friend:

9-10ppm is the recommended 'safe' level for prolonged exposure. 'Normal' level in a house shouldn't really be exceeding half that (5ppm).


35ppm is enough to result in physical symptoms (headaches, nausea, dizziness, fatigue). 400ppm will kill you.

100ppm is in excess of the WHO recommended limit for 15 minute exposure (which is 87ppm).

Edited by Equus on Sunday 25th February 12:56

[bitchstewie]

kambites said:

WHO recommend indoor CO levels never exceed an average of 9mm for any eight-hour period or 25 ppm for any one-hour period. The hard upper limit for even short-term exposure in a workplace in the UK is 200ppm.

I wouldn't be happy with 100ppm in my house, but are you sure the original alarm wasn't broken?

Thanks that's the kind of thing where the manual wasn't clear.

The alarm is a couple of months old and the fire hasn't changed and it's only done it the once so it's quite possible it's the alarm which is the reason for buying a new one that shows a bit more info as well as having the local fireplace installers come out to double-check things from their side.

But I don't know whether I should expect the LCD to permanently show 0 or quite what "normal" is

[BobSaunders]

Make sure it's up high. Always see the damn things on window cills or bookshelves etc. monoxide is lighter than air.

[Ham_and_Jam]

Have you tried putting new batteries in the one thats blipping?

[bitchstewie]

It's up high on a shelf about a foot from the ceiling.

Didn't try changing the batteries as they and the alarm are brand new and tbh I'd sooner put the thing in the bin than risk it.

[smokey mow]

bhstewie said:

It's up high on a shelf about a foot from the ceiling.

That's less than ideal.

Try installing it in accordance with the instructions, observing the stated distance from other surfaces and the corners of the rooms.