What's Wrong With This Picture? Carbon Monoxide

ANSWER: Vent flue pipe is disconnected.

Bill Sonterre, U.S. Inspect Colorado, recently came across this potentially deadly situation. The vent flue pipe for the gas fired forced air furnace is disconnected from the interior of the appliance. It appeared to be an incomplete installation and may have occurred two years prior during original construction. When discovered, the amount of Carbon Monoxide (CO) in the home was at a level of 138 parts per million (PPM) in the furnace room, 43 PPM at the 1st floor, and 32 PPM at the 2nd floor.

Though no national standards have been agreed upon for indoor air, mainly because much of the immediate effect of CO poisoning is dependant on a person's general health, it is generally agreed that any amount in excess of 70 PPM will produce noticeable symptoms (headache, fatigue, nausea). The longer the exposure the more deadly the issue becomes.

Remember, CO is a silent killer and should never be ignored. A properly installed CO detector on the floor of the furnace room should have alarmed the occupants.

Thank you Bill for your alertness! And, thanks for sharing.