Carbon Monoxide

[smirnov3]

How big of a risk is carbon Monoxide with a pellet stove?

Low, as in Oil heat, or high, as in NG?

 

[Homefire]

How big of a risk is carbon Monoxide with a pellet stove?

Low, as in Oil heat, or high, as in NG?

It is high if the stove isn't vented properly or the

stove has poorly fitted door gaskets or other defected

parts.

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

of course, there is always a oppisit view. i would say low because the firebox is under negative pressure and exaust is forced out of the unit mechanicly. So any leaks in the stove will not let it burn at its optimal efficiency, but it would have to overcome all the negative pressure to leak CO2

 

[Homefire]

of course, there is always a oppisit view. i would say low because the firebox is under negative pressure and exaust is forced out of the unit mechanicly. So any leaks in the stove will not let it burn at its optimal efficiency, but it would have to overcome all the negative pressure to leak CO2

So your saying a bad door gasket or poorly vented stove is a low risk CO gas?

Any unit working properly be it oil, wood, coal, or a manure burner should be safe but to say one is safer than any other is misleading IMO.

 

[Rhone]

I think they don't leak much until there's a power failure or problem with assisted exhaust. I saw the results of a test somewhere, they wanted to measure how much fumes leak on a pellet stove during a power failure and it was pretty high until the fuel burned out.

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

in the terms of a pellet stove, its hard to mess the venting up, the exause it being blown out. Pellet stoves can vent horizontally, i dont think coal or oil can. i was assume if there was co2 problems with venting a pellet stove horizontaly, then the manufactures would tell you not to. A bad door gasket realy has no effect on CO2 emmisions, just a crapy burn on a pellet stove. I have no idea about coal or oil, we have neither around here. So i would say they are safer with my limted knowledge about oil or coal.

 

[berlin]

nothing is "safer" because all hydrocarbon combustion produces some CO, however Natural Gas is often considered the most dangerous because unless one has a CO detector one would not know that their appliance is not venting properly. it is simply the difference in oder, NG has virtually none, whereas wood, coal (esp. soft coal) and especially oil has a very strong aroma that alerts homeowners of problems via smell long before CO buildup occurs, unfortunately some homeowners don't always act quickly and thus the rare but occasional poisoning or death from combustion of one of the "smelly" fuels.

 

[GVA]

How big of a risk is carbon Monoxide with a pellet stove?

Low, as in Oil heat, or high, as in NG?

I guess it depends on the stove and how it's maintained. My pellet stove will not feed pellets if a door is opened even just a crack, it is a saftey feature. however if a gasket is worn and the power goes out I guess it could leak co out. Never had a problem with this stove and i've lost power several times.. I guess losing combustion air since it helps feed the fire helps to snuff out the fire, so only a limited amount of co would be possibly leaked into the house not like a NG leak which could leak and leak and leak till a danger level is reached. However if say the glass door was broken I'm sure alot more co would leak out but again the fire would run out of pellets and burn itself out. Hopefully before danger levels are reached :shut:

 

[smirnov3]

The other big risk for CO is a cool, smoldering fire, where the fuel is not burning to completion. So I guess I answered my own question, since Pellet stoves burn very clean.

 

[Homefire]

The other big risk for CO is a cool, smoldering fire, where the fuel is not burning to completion. So I guess I answered my own question, since Pellet stoves burn very clean.

They burn clean if working properly however if they need service and have sealing issues then they can produce a lot of gas .
Check your door gasket for a good seal and your passages for ash blockage as CO like most everything else in life will take the path of least resistance.