Carbon monoxide headache

[rmanrman]

I’ve been working in my garage attic today for about 4 hours with a ryobi propane gas turbo heater. About an hour after I finished and came into my house started to get a bad headache and a little lightheaded. I have a digital co detector in the same room. I checked it later and it reads 16 ppm. Is that dangerous level the detector never alarmed but does when I press the test button. My attic is unfinished with open soffit and full ridge vent at 12 feet
The door from garage to attic was open as I needed tools and parts from my shop so air was moving around as we know hot air rises. Is it Me or the propane heater?? Anyone know what the max safe co level is? I have a wall mounted ventless propane heater in the basement and never had any effects but it’s not a construction heater it’s a blue flame type. Thanks

 

[PCustoms]

Looks like above 70 ppm is where issues start.

Unless you have heart issues

Where was the heater, and where was the CO detector?

 

[TractorJeff]

Being in the attic may have accelerated your condition?
It gets warm up there, the fumes may have been concentrating somewhere along your travels up and down.
Though I do see you stated open Soffits and Ridge Vent.

 

[Hdonly0]

Co tends to mix with air and flow with the air. Since the air was warmed by the heater, you could have had a higher concentration in the attic as opposed to where your detector is located.

 

[StreetGLi]

Over 10 is concerning for long periods of time. C0 builds up in your system so length of exposure is relevant. is Short term exposure over 70 you get rapid symptoms.

They only antidote is removal from the sources and high concentration O2 while the CO disapates. Short of that.. low level exposure can be corrected with fresh air.


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[rlitman]

CO alarms are designed to not alert when the levels are low enough to be considered safe for up to around 8 hours.

My guess is that CO isn’t it. Those burners create NOx.

But here’s a thought. Stop by your local fire house. They probably have a rainbow pulse odometer that can directly measure the levels of CO absorbed by your blood. It just shines a light through your finger and gives instant results.

 

[Jlbc212]

You should avoid any exposure to carbon monoxide. The blood absorption rate for CO is 250 times greater than that of oxygen. Once absorbed and in your body it takes a very, very long time for it to get out which means even if you take a break for several hours and get exposed again the new absorption will be added to the previous. Carbon monoxide poisoning causes headaches, fatigue, depression, dizziness, confusion and can lead to more serious complications if exposure is chronic (i.e. heart disease and death.)

 

[6768rogues]

It is not only exposure level but also exposure time. Most CO detectors will sound an alarm after an exposure of 40 PPM for 10 hours on up to 400 PPM for 4 to 15 minutes. As far as effects for a healthy adult, it varies from 50 PPM for 8 hours doing little to nothing to 1600 PPM for 20 minutes causing headaches, dizziness and nausea, with death in an hour.
It could have been CO2. Propane heaters that are working properly and are not starved of oxygen don't emit much CO, but do emit water vapor and CO2. CO2 displacing oxygen can make you tired, light headed and cause a headache. Get in fresh air and if one of those was your problem, you will probably be ok.

 

[isb cornbinder]

Persons falling to the effects of carbon monoxide are in the news, here, every day. Some are in critical condition and others may die. This year is worse than anytime I can remember. This is a newsworthy event every year when the cold weather happens.
We have a CO detector and we will be adding another this weekend.
Get a professional to check your fuel fired heating.

 

[1redTA]

your local fire department should have no problem ( call ahead ) coming out and measuring any CO levels if you have a legitimate concern. The use of a four gas detector and pulse ox are just part of the tools almost any engine should carry

 

[NUTTSGT]

Just want to verify that you were in the attic and the detector was in another room.

 

[Jlbc212]

It is not only exposure level but also exposure time. Most CO detectors will sound an alarm after an exposure of 40 PPM for 10 hours on up to 400 PPM for 4 to 15 minutes. As far as effects for a healthy adult, it varies from 50 PPM for 8 hours doing little to nothing to 1600 PPM for 20 minutes causing headaches, dizziness and nausea, with death in an hour.
It could have been CO2. Propane heaters that are working properly and are not starved of oxygen don't emit much CO, but do emit water vapor and CO2. CO2 displacing oxygen can make you tired, light headed and cause a headache. Get in fresh air and if one of those was your problem, you will probably be ok.

The key is the propane heater needs a continuous supply of oxygen as a component of fresh air. If CO2 displaces oxygen in the space where the propane heater is operating, the heater will have insufficient oxygen for complete combustion of the propane which will result in CO production. As the supply of oxygen diminishes the greater the production of CO.

 

[rmanrman]

Probably not carbon monoxide but co2. I’m doing fine today after a nights sleep
If I place the propane heater at the front of the garage and raise the overhead door about 10 inches so the *** end of the heater is sucking in fresh air would that be a safer way to heat my garage while working inside? Thanks for all the great information to save my ***

 

[6768rogues]

I do not use unvented combustion heaters. Heaters that are not vented always have instructions saying to use a small heater in a large space with fresh air being supplied by opening a window or door. Even so called safe vent free heaters are not for me. If I could not vent a heater, I would use an electric heater or I would dress warmly and get used to being cold.

 

[Jlbc212]

Probably not carbon monoxide but co2. I’m doing fine today after a nights sleep
If I place the propane heater at the front of the garage and raise the overhead door about 10 inches so the *** end of the heater is sucking in fresh air would that be a safer way to heat my garage while working inside? Thanks for all the great information to save my ***

Sounds safer, but to be sure get a CO detector and place it in your work space.

 

[BillK]

r,
Not sure exactly what that heater looks like but if it is your typical "salamander" type heater could it be the noise that is giving you the headache ?? I cannot stand the typical propane salamanders because of the noise. I bought one when I first built my detached garage and ended up almost giving it away to a friend because I could not stand it.

 

[Bretny]

The safest way to heat your garage is with a proper vented heater. Is taking possibly years off your life worth saving a few bucks on heating?

Almost all of these non vented heaters work like this...be warm and not breath or not breath and be cold. Electric excluded.

 

[Showkey]

Almost all of these non vented heaters work like this...be warm and not breath or not breath and be cold. Electric excluded.

Chemicals and solvents used in the shop passing over the heated wire in the electric heater .......still can produce those nasty gases.

 

[6768rogues]

Chemicals and solvents used in the shop passing over the heated wire in the electric heater .......still can produce those nasty gases.

How many chemicals and solvents do you use? In my opinion, if you have so many chemicals in the air that having them pass over a heater is a problem, perhaps you should be wearing a respirator.