Secrets of the City

I moved into my condo a few days after a family in North Branch died from CO poisioning and the Midway Wal-Mart, Midway Target and Bloomington Walmart were all out of detectors, so then at least people paid attention. They’re like 20$. Go get one.

Just replaced the 9v battery in my basement detector (near the furnace) last night. I should probably find a detector for the upstairs, too, just in case.

They’re like 20$. Go get one.

I wish.

You really should, noodleman. It’s the cheapest life insurance you can buy — better, really, cause this is an investment that can keep you, your loved ones, pets, etc. alive.

I replace the 9 volt backups in our detectors (they are plug-in models) every New Years Day. Do the smoke detectors at the same time.

The North Branch case Kevin mentioned was revisted in a recent Star Tribune article — I can’t seem to find it to link.

I picked one up for $5, thought it was a great deal. Then I got really sick. Dug the package out of the garbage, turned out I bought a Carbon Monoxide Emitter. Doh!

The North Brach incident mentioned earlier is sparking calls for change.

North Branch, rather.

I blame carbon monoxide…

#1: Every now and then you hear a story from somewhere in the U.S. about a couple people who died after trying to heat their house by firing up a charcoal grill in the living room. Apparently, charcoal briquettes are a pretty efficient source of CO.

#2: I knew a kid in school whose dad died from CO poisoning. He was in a spearfishing house with a propane heater and had it sealed a little too tightly. The CO built up due to a lack of ventilation and he died.

#3: My neighbors daughter was chilly one summer night (their AC was on) and she turned up the thermostat, which caused the furnace to come on. Around 3 o’clock that morning, the dad woke up feeling nauseous and confused, and called 911. The fire department showed up and said if they’d stayed in the house another 15 minutes they wouldn’t have had a chance. As it turned out, every one of the family of 5 made a full recovery.

#4: In Japan, CO poisoning has become a fairly popular method of suicide, including group suicides. The peacefulness is a strong “benefit” to those who want to fuck up the lives of their familes and loved ones for years to come with feeling of guilt, remorse, and all that.

Apparently, with the right amount of booze (or in Japans case, Sake) the numb and tingly feeling in the extremities is negligable, and the nausea doesn’t set in until the victim passes out. They just peacefully (or relatively so) drift into oblivion.

Bonus points: there’s not really that much of a mess to clean up for the survivors, apparently (only the afformentioned psychlogical trauma of finding a dead loved one). CO leaves its victims with a reddish “apple-cheeked” appearence for quite a while after the fact.

CO2 detector is essential for everybody; owner, renter, squatter, whatever.
About 15 years ago, before these devices were popular, my family had a scary encounter. Over a period of close to 2 weeks, I would come home from high school and immediately fall asleep for almost the entire night. My mom thought all my tiredness was just me and my hectic lifestyle at the time. A week or so into this, my grandma came to stay with us and she had really bad headaches the entire time she was there. That finally clued my parents in to a possible cause of these problems, so they had a furnace guy come over to test everything. He came upstairs, after doing some tests and told us to open the windows and leave the house immediately. Sorta scary to think what would have happend if my grandma hadn’t functioned as our make-shift CO2 detector. Every member of my family now has several in our houses. So, I will second Bob’s plea, please go buy one!

Sorta scary to think what would have happend if my grandma hadn’t functioned as our make-shift CO2 detector.

“GAAAHHH! THE CANARY’S DEAD!! EVERYONE OUT OF THE MINE!!!”

Yikes. Hopefully there was no lasting damage to you or your family.

We were told when we had our house inspected that we cannot use our fireplace due to possible CO poisoning. It seems that if we were to use our fireplace, which needs brickwork done in the basement, and the furnace at the same time there could be a backdraft (or something) that could kill us all.

Then the inspector laughed and said something about their being so many leaks and drafts in our place that it would never happen. Leaky houses protect against CO poisoning. That’s the one upside.

Binky-

Although g-ma has since passed (unrelated causes), I don’t believe any of us suffer from long-term effects… which means I can only blame my lack of brain cells on my binge drinking during college.

Or ethanol.

Don’t bet your life of it, kc! It is called backdrafting, here’s more.

It looks like Pennsyvania leads the nation in CO deaths.

Oh, we have a nice assortment of candles in the fireplace and insulation stuffed up the chimney. I’m not taking chances on that one.

CO2 detector is essential for everybody

Carbon monoxide is CO, not CO2.

/requisite nerdy nitpicking

Good call, Ms. C, good call.

We got one of those electric candle warmers for Xmas — they release the scent of candles (must be small and in glass) without the soot, CO and fire hazard. Never seen them before, but my wife sure likes it…

Carbon monoxide is CO, not CO2.

Good catch. I’ve made that mistake myself. Did you know that CO2 — the fizz in our soda/pop/cokes — is a major co-product of ethanol production?

It’s true. Note “CO2 scrubber” in this chart. Here in Minnesota, many ethanol plants capture and sell their CO2.

BTW: Ms. Cody just won a Golden Globe AND a Critics Choice Award for Juno. Let the hatefest begin!

The Golden Globe winners aren’t being announced until the 13th.

bob just breathed in too much CO2

I thought the Coens won the Critics Choice for Best Film.

Good catch. I’ve made that mistake myself. Did you know that CO2 — the fizz in our soda/pop/cokes — is a major co-product of ethanol production?

Makes sense, as ethanol is produced by fermentation. Which is why beer has alcohol and carbonation.

Sorry, that was Future Bob.

At some later point in my life, I become “unstuck in time.” Like a mustachioed Billy Pilgrim, Future Bob drops in from time to time, and ruins everyone surprise by telling the future.

My (his) bad.

Carbon monoxide is CO, not CO2.
meh. carbon monoxide… dioxide… whatever.

Guess it should come as no surprise: Back in high school, when the incident occurred, I also greatly struggled to earn a “C-” in chemistry. It was then I decided to become a liberal arts major.

It was more about the story than the details!

hmmm… looks like this would be a good, late Christmas gift for Benny (didn’t he say he had one?). Probably just too many grasshoppers and too much pie, not the flueless stove, (or too much CO2, not CO)

“January is ideal time to test home for radon, health officials say.”