I had a quick question with a longer story behind it.
The question is whether CO from a wood stove exists without the smell of smoke in any burn conditions?
This is a relatively new house. Six month old. We run the wood stove (RSF Opel III) for the primary heat source each day for around 10 hours. It is built more air tight than older homes. We only have a wood stove on the lower level, all other appliances/heat are electric.
The story is that our CO alarm (ceiling mounted combo smoke/CO no digital readout) went off yesterday. The stove was burnt down to coals and dampered down. There was one bathroom fan on at times upstairs during the day and one Panasonic ERV downstairs which exchanges heat and brings in fresh air running constantly on low. We have operated the stove in similar conditions every other day. At no time during the day did we smell any smoke.
My wife and I had been feeling a bit under the weather but attributed it to similar symptoms as another family member outside of the household that we spent time with the prior day. Typically fatigued, slight headache and upset stomach. My wife did vomit one time similar to the family member. We felt some symptoms even when we were out of the house prior to the alarm and after. The kids were fine throughout.
There were two open fires within 100 yards of our house burning scrap wood. The smell of that was strong as soon as we stepped out doors. It was a bit of an inversion day.
We did purchase two new detectors w/digital readouts and installed them within an hour after the event on the two levels of the house. Neither has any memory yet of any CO particles.
I regret having opened all the doors and airing out the building. I should have closed it down and called the FD to track any source if there was CO present. Next time I will treat it more seriously and systematic as the concern we have now is bordering on paranoia.
Any ideas or prior experience with CO and wood stoves that can help us ferret out the cause?
Thanks!
The question is whether CO from a wood stove exists without the smell of smoke in any burn conditions?
This is a relatively new house. Six month old. We run the wood stove (RSF Opel III) for the primary heat source each day for around 10 hours. It is built more air tight than older homes. We only have a wood stove on the lower level, all other appliances/heat are electric.
The story is that our CO alarm (ceiling mounted combo smoke/CO no digital readout) went off yesterday. The stove was burnt down to coals and dampered down. There was one bathroom fan on at times upstairs during the day and one Panasonic ERV downstairs which exchanges heat and brings in fresh air running constantly on low. We have operated the stove in similar conditions every other day. At no time during the day did we smell any smoke.
My wife and I had been feeling a bit under the weather but attributed it to similar symptoms as another family member outside of the household that we spent time with the prior day. Typically fatigued, slight headache and upset stomach. My wife did vomit one time similar to the family member. We felt some symptoms even when we were out of the house prior to the alarm and after. The kids were fine throughout.
There were two open fires within 100 yards of our house burning scrap wood. The smell of that was strong as soon as we stepped out doors. It was a bit of an inversion day.
We did purchase two new detectors w/digital readouts and installed them within an hour after the event on the two levels of the house. Neither has any memory yet of any CO particles.
I regret having opened all the doors and airing out the building. I should have closed it down and called the FD to track any source if there was CO present. Next time I will treat it more seriously and systematic as the concern we have now is bordering on paranoia.
Any ideas or prior experience with CO and wood stoves that can help us ferret out the cause?
Thanks!