Use CO detectors in your shed/garage, it's a silent killer!

[Timmer92]

We received word last night that my wife's cousins were exposed to Carbon Monoxide. They were found in their garage that was being heated with a propane heater. I don't know the details of the technical issue that caused the CO build up but the outcome is that the wife died and the husband was airlifted to a hospital and is currently comatose.

It's so unfortunate given it's totally avoidable. CO detectors are cheap for the safety they provide. I have them in my garage and shed, but they are admittedly old so we have ordered new ones.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

sad but it happens all too often. EVERY propane heater gives off CO...nature of the beast AND there are warning lables to say DO NOT USE in houses..or to that effect.
I'm wondering why garage door openers aren't tied into CO detectors ? That way, if Co level get dangerous, door automatically opens.

Another scary incident, a pickup truck ,series known for starting fires(recall issued), was in attached garage. This time family got out, house was levelled.

 

[lugbolt]

Absolutely use one. I was killed when I was 8 because of CO. Very thankful for the healing hands of the doctors. Basically DOA, but they were able to get back up and going. I don't remember it; just what my mother told me.

 

[SidecarFlip]

sad but it happens all too often. EVERY propane heater gives off CO...nature of the beast AND there are warning lables to say DO NOT USE in houses..or to that effect.
I'm wondering why garage door openers aren't tied into CO detectors ? That way, if Co level get dangerous, door automatically opens.

Another scary incident, a pickup truck ,series known for starting fires(recall issued), was in attached garage. This time family got out, house was levelled.

I actually have one (pickup) and it's been updated. What it is is the low brake fluid sensor and lead. The sensor is always hot but it's open if the fluid is within spec/ What was happening was the seal in the sensor was allowing brake fluid to leak into the electrical end of the sensor and the fluid was shorting across the terminals (brake fluid is electrically conductive) and catching fire (brake fluid is also flammable), melting the fluid tank and setting the engine compartment on fire. The update isn't replacing the sensor if it's not leaking (they inspect it), they replace the sub harness with one that is fused with a low amp fuse so when and if the sensor fails, the fuse melts and opens the circuit. I have the later version of the sensor anyway. Actually, the recall was so serious that insurance carriers (mine included) wanted a copy of shop order that the recall was performed.

Heck of a way to toast your house, glad they got out.

Always been my understanding that unvented propane or NG heaters used in a living space (or garage)had to have CO detectors built in that shut them off if the CO level reached so many PPM? I know my neighbor has one in his garage and it has warning labels all over it about CO and the heater's ability to shut itself down. Maybe Canada has different rules, I don't knoow.

 

[ehenry]

yall care to elaborate on what pickup is catching fire? I'd like to know if I need to go park my pickup away from the house instead of the attached garage.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Absolutely use one. I was killed when I was 8 because of CO. Very thankful for the healing hands of the doctors. Basically DOA, but they were able to get back up and going. I don't remember it; just what my mother told me.

Now, I understand your demeanor...lol, just kidding....

We have them here in the house, hardwired with battery backup smoke and CO alarms. Have them in the rentals as well, State law.

Kind of like cancer in a way, silent killer.

 

[SidecarFlip]

yall care to elaborate on what pickup is catching fire? I'd like to know if I need to go park my pickup away from the house instead of the attached garage.

What do you have, year, make and model and I'll tell you if you have to worry or see a dealer or not?

 

[Fordtech86]

yall care to elaborate on what pickup is catching fire? I'd like to know if I need to go park my pickup away from the house instead of the attached garage.

That recall is so old that there should be no reason it hasn’t been done by now. If you own a Ford you can PM me the VIN and I can tell you if it has any open recalls.

 

[SidecarFlip]

That recall is so old that there should be no reason it hasn’t been done by now. If you own a Ford you can PM me the VIN and I can tell you if it has any open recalls.

I wonder how many there still are out there that aren't upgraded? I bet a lot.

I still have not taken my Focus in for the hatchback latch recall. Never had an issue.

 

[Fordtech86]

I wonder how many there still are out there that aren't upgraded? I bet a lot.

I still have not taken my Focus in for the hatchback latch recall. Never had an issue.

Keep a ratchet strap in it to keep the doors shut when the latch does fail to latch, most likely has the purge valve/fuel tank recall too

 

[Fordtech86]

And BTW, I have more to lose then to gain by knowing somebody’s VIN number. Y’all can call any Ford dealer and give them the VIN to find out it there is open recalls. I can check Mazda too. No personal gain for me to know your VIN.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Keep a ratchet strap in it to keep the doors shut when the latch does fail to latch, most likely has the purge valve/fuel tank recall too

Don't believe so. All I have to do to check is call my BIL. he's head of transmission design and engineering up in Southfield at the glass tower. Just the hatch latch.

....and my wife drive a Suburban, hows that...

You can blame the 10 speed on him, was his design idea.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

I'm not talking about the 'flaming Fords', I own one of them a '97 and the 'fix' does NOT fix the problem AND when it does fail, you'll lose cruise control permanently. My FIX,far less cost than Fords DOES allow cruise to work and no possible fire.
There's either a Chevy or Dodge that's being recalled, something about wires around the battery box/fuse box.Don't know the details just heard about it couple weeks ago.
What I found 'worrysome' was that the faulty tirerods were NOT any recall !
Yeah, they'd 'pop off'.......and thet's NOT a safety issue !!

 

[SidecarFlip]

Never had that issue as mine are replaced a long time ago with non OEM parts. Actually the cruise control on the 'flaming Fords' is tied into the high mount third brake light circuit and mine are all LED's now anyway.

 

[johnjk]

I just installed CO2 and smoke detectors in both my garages this past weekend. One thing to remember is that a smoke detector lifespan is 10 yrs while a CO2 detector is only 3yrs. If you are unsure when you detectors were made, there should be a manufacturing date somewhere on the unit.

My smoke and CO are tied in to my alarm and they continually feed back to the monitoring station even if the alarm is not "armed". Our house when built had all alarms wired to AC and they daisy chain the alert so if one goes off, all go off. Batteries in these are 9v and get swapped out 2x a year. The additional units I have tied to my alarm do not daisy chain and have Lithium batteries. I change these every year and the old ones usually have a fair remainder of life left. They go in to my tactical flashlight till drained.

You can get replacements from Amazon in bulk that will reduce your end cost a bit. If you stick with the same manufacturer you may get lucky and be able to use the same pigtail for power.

It's a shame that garage door openers these days do not come with CO detectors built in. How hard would it be to have that sensor when triggered open the door?

My only concern with the garage units would be how they will react to the exhaust from the B and my quad. I do have a fan on my garage door opener that I turn on to help vent the fumes.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

re: Actually the cruise control on the 'flaming Fords' is tied into the high mount third brake light circuit

On mine the 'fluid switch' sends a signal directly to the cruise control 'computer', the brake pedal switch goes to 3rd light.

It's the 'fluid switch' that flames up. Fords $$ idiotic engineered recall replaement just puts a low current fuse in series so when the switch fails, the fuse pops. THAT is a one shot deal.... you cannot replace fuse, need to replace the 'fluid switch'...$$$$$ When the fuse pops, you lose cruise...though my 50c solution gets around that BS.

re: My only concern with the garage units would be how they will react to the exhaust from the B and my quad.

every running engine will produce CO and CO2, so door should be open.....

 

[DustyRusty]

I keep a CO detector in my Ford Explorer, and it routinely runs between 5 - 8 ppm with the windows closed. Fords fix didn't fix it, so I drive with the drivers window slightly open at the top. That along with the acrid smell upon heavy acceleration is enough to say that this is probably the last Ford for me.

 

[Fordtech86]

I keep a CO detector in my Ford Explorer, and it routinely runs between 5 - 8 ppm with the windows closed. Fords fix didn't fix it, so I drive with the drivers window slightly open at the top. That along with the acrid smell upon heavy acceleration is enough to say that this is probably the last Ford for me.

If you get exhaust smell inside under acceleration I have seen a lot of them where the body plugs just above the exhaust tips get brittle and fall apart. Part of the recall was to put a patch over it but they too can come off. You can slide under the back of it and look just above the rear most hangers for the exhaust, there will be a rectangle plug roughly 2 inch x 4 inch (might have the patch over it if its still there). Also some of the air exchangers in the back would come apart, but they aren’t easily seen.

If you have a rotten egg/propane type smell under heavy acceleration, that comes from the PTU for the all wheel drive (assuming you have AWD given your location). There is a repair kit for that.

 

[torch]

I just installed CO2 and smoke detectors in both my garages this past weekend. One thing to remember is that a smoke detector lifespan is 10 yrs while a CO2 detector is only 3yrs. If you are unsure when you detectors were made, there should be a manufacturing date somewhere on the unit.

CO detector lifespan is typically 5 to 7 years after they are first powered on, depending on the make. Rather than a manufacturing date, most now feature a "replace by" date. And most current models will start chirping when they reach end-of-life.

 

[SidecarFlip]

re: Actually the cruise control on the 'flaming Fords' is tied into the high mount third brake light circuit

On mine the 'fluid switch' sends a signal directly to the cruise control 'computer', the brake pedal switch goes to 3rd light.

It's the 'fluid switch' that flames up. Fords $$ idiotic engineered recall replaement just puts a low current fuse in series so when the switch fails, the fuse pops. THAT is a one shot deal.... you cannot replace fuse, need to replace the 'fluid switch'...$$$$$ When the fuse pops, you lose cruise...though my 50c solution gets around that BS.

re: My only concern with the garage units would be how they will react to the exhaust from the B and my quad.

every running engine will produce CO and CO2, so door should be open.....

The replacement 'fluid switch' is inexpensive but replacement will require bleeding the brakes most times and... there are 2 different versions of the switch. The dark top is the leaker. The brown top don't leak. I had the brown top from the get go.