CO2 levels when using stove

[MRD1985]

Recently got an indoor air quality monitor for the house. Was making sure no smoke was getting in due to asthma and allergy in the house.

Everything looks ok other than CO2. It only went up quickly when I started the stove. I have CO meters throughout the house and nothing has ever shown up. Even on peak monitoring. I don’t think CO is present. Levels do not change much if at all with cracking a window.

Any ideas to solve this? OAK?

 

[begreen]

What stage was the fire at with this reading?

 

[MRD1985]

What stage was the fire at with this reading?

Start of the fire, building momentum. Right now temps are fairly stable around 600 STT but still plenty of fuel left to burn. Current levels are close to pictured, maybe slightly less. Door has been closed for at least 30 minutes.

I noticed earlier when previous fire was closer to the coaling stage there was normal co2 levels.

 

[begreen]

Is this a brand new stove or one that has a few years on it?

An oak might help. The question is whether the stove room is under negative pressure or if there is another issue. Is the stovepipe correctly installed with the crimped end pointing down toward the stove body?

 

[MRD1985]

Is this a brand new stove or one that has a few years on it?

An oak might help. The question is whether the stove room is under negative pressure or if there is another issue. Is the stovepipe correctly installed with the crimped end pointing down toward the stove body?

This is an insert. Second season with it, but did not have an air quality monitor last year so unknown if this was an issue last season.

This is the orientation in which the liner is attached to the insert.

If negative pressure was the issue shouldn’t have opening a window brought levels down?

 

[stoveliker]

Do you know what the level outside is?
At the early stages of a fire you're pushing a lot of gas up the flue. That leaks in from outside.
Are you downwind from e.g. a coal plant?
Does it depend on wind direction (NYC)?

 

[MRD1985]

I live fairly close to an airport. But walked outside and let the monitor settle for a minute and came down to these readings. I lit the stove about an hour ago. Came back in and readings went back to second attached photo.

This is the first day with the monitor and winds are calm so unsure if that is a factor.

What’s odd is that before I lit the stove indoor co2 was around 500-600ppm.

 

[stoveliker]

So inside was lower (500-600) than outside(1500) before the stove was lit?
That doesn't make sense to me unless you have a large nearby source outside.

The increase is puzzling indeed, especially if your flue is hot and drafting hard in the active phase of the fire.

 

[MRD1985]

So inside was lower (500-600) than outside(1500) before the stove was lit?
That doesn't make sense to me unless you have a large nearby source outside.

The increase is puzzling indeed, especially if your flue is hot and drafting hard in the active phase of the fire.

correct. I honestly did not check earlier regarding outside reading. I did have a fire earlier today and noticed the meter prior to lighting the fire while the previous fire was coaling . These were readings from earlier today. That was after about 3 hours of burning.

Perhaps the meter needed longer to settle? Not sure not going to test it right now lol, too cold out there

 

[ABMax24]

Can you provide the make and model of the monitor?

CO2 sensors are expensive, typically enough so that most of these devices don't have the ability to actually monitor CO2, it is calculated or inferred based on other readings.

For example my ecobee thermostat can show CO2 readings, but they are actually just inferred values from the VOC monitor and are actually meaningless.

 

[MRD1985]

Can you provide the make and model of the monitor?

CO2 sensors are expensive, typically enough so that most of these devices don't have the ability to actually monitor CO2, it is calculated or inferred based on other readings.

For example my ecobee thermostat can show CO2 readings, but they are actually just inferred values from the VOC monitor and are actually meaningless.

It’s a meter purchased from Amazon. It’s Chinese. It wasn’t a super cheap one. Normally 125$ but purchased on special for Black Friday. It did review well.

I do notice I’m slightly lightheaded sitting by the stove for the last hour plus, so the meter reading may be correct.

 

[Megunticook]

If the source of the co2 was your fire's combustion wouldn't co levels also be raised?

Stove is pulling a lot of outside air in during that first stage with the damper wide open. Could be source of co2?

Odd situation.

 

[MRD1985]

Co2 was still high when I woke up. I simply turned off the meter and turn it back on and it was in the 600s. Not sure what to believe. I’ll have to see if it spikes again after lighting the stove later, if it goes ill try resetting the meter mid burn and see what it says

All the PM data has been accurate I think. My wife lit a couple of candles to offset the smell of me cooking bacon this morning and I notice all the PM counts quadrupled to around 50 of 2.5 and over 50 of PM 10 similar of PM1. Stove is not on so I know it’s not that. Even when it was running last night the PM counts were low as seen in previous photos. Interesting how much those candles dump stuff into the air.

 

[stoveliker]

Or the bacon frying.

Frying is notorious for increasing PM

 

[MRD1985]

Or the bacon frying.

Frying is notorious for increasing PM

Interesting! Makes sense though!

 

[begreen]

This is an insert. Second season with it, but did not have an air quality monitor last year so unknown if this was an issue last season.

This is the orientation in which the liner is attached to the insert.

If negative pressure was the issue shouldn’t have opening a window brought levels down?

What is the black goo slathered on all of those connections? I'm wondering if that is the source of the CO2? Normally, the appliance connector to lining connection gets no sealant. The flue pipe can get over 500º on the surface.

 

[begreen]

Or the bacon frying.

Frying is notorious for increasing PM

Frying is one of the few things that will trigger our air cleaner to go into high speed clean mode.

 

[MRD1985]

What is the black goo slathered on all of those connections? I'm wondering if that is the source of the CO2? Normally, the appliance connector to lining connection gets no sealant. The flue pipe can get over 500º on the surface.

Furnace cement that wasn’t cured in the picture . It’s just around the outside, nothing between the connections themselves.

Lit another fire, let a window cracked until it was established. Shut the stove door. During this while time co2 went to 1000 ppm or so. Stove is currently working its way up to full temp, reset the meter and these are current readings . Much more acceptable with 3 people in the room also.

Just turned the blower on low I’ll see if they effects anything. Meter is 3-4 ft from the stove currently

 

[MRD1985]

35 minutes in, STT 600

 

[stoveliker]

I suspect that the mention above of inferred CO2 (rather than measured) may be true here.

This stove is one year old?
Paint?

Also,.I wonder what any dust (accumulated on the stove during this summer) might do (now that we have colder weather and the stove gets hot.

 

[MRD1985]

I suspect that the mention above of inferred CO2 (rather than measured) may be true here.

This stove is one year old?
Paint?

Also,.I wonder what any dust (accumulated on the stove during this summer) might do (now that we have colder weather and the stove gets hot.

Very possible you are correct. The stove is a year old yes. It’s gotten plenty hot last season also, the first couple fires had to have the windows open because of all the fumes from the paint curing. I don’t notice that at all anymore.

Dust is a good point to consider. I took apart the blower and blew it out with compressed air at the end of last season and blew the stove off as best as possibly be.

Current readings still very acceptable

 

[Prometeo]

Hi,
I would start by cleaning the chimney well

 

[MRD1985]

Hi,
I would start by cleaning the chimney well

Chimney is clean, thanks though.

 

[bigealta]

Candles are terrible for indoor air. Many cheap ones use lead to keep the wicks straight. Burnt lead not good.

 

[MRD1985]

Candles are terrible for indoor air. Many cheap ones use lead to keep the wicks straight. Burnt lead not good.

These were yankee candles we had bought years ago. Typically try to use soy now. Just using some old stock I think