Are electric oil-filled radiator heaters a carbon monoxide risk?

alisonrafe · 2005-12-27T03:02:16+00:00

I've been experiencing some symptoms of low level carbon monoxideexposure. I have an 10 year old oil-filled radiator heater under mycomputer desk. I sit at this desk eight hours a day. I've read thatelectric oil-filled heaters aren't a carbon monoxide risk, but I wonderif this is always true?Thanks in advance for your responses.

Dec 27, 2005 25 Replies

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CBHVAC 20 years ago

Rule of thumb in any liability issue: Dead people dont sue.

And yes Mark, they suck. They are NOT what the average person thinks they are. They are NOT a sure fire way to measure anything...and, does anyone know that after 5 years you are supposed to toss them? Who, honestly, has replaced a unit that is more than 5 years old? Who really knows how long its been there unless you just put it up? ITs why some of us install units that not only know, they make sure YOU know. The public wants cheap, so First Alert and others give you cheap. Just dont bet your life on it. Something is better than nothing, but personally, I would not have one of those POS things in my home. And the new combo smoke/CO detectors? Jokes.

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m Ransley 20 years ago

So CB., Co detectors that are UL approved and independantly tested accurate, or better yet working, by many groups, one nationaly known, who even compares them, Consumer Reports are wrong. No I don`t believe it. There are deaths of course but 100x more people are made sick. Funny how nobody in the media has made this a public issue yet. for if they were as bad as you believe it would be headline news. Probably the most independantly tested device made is your hardware store Co detector. For true accuracy , yes I believe you, as few even simple thermometers and no cheap analog hygrometers have I ever ever seen as

100 correct. But to do their job and register, record, levels that are higher than Zero , I see them as working to inform of possible danger, there fore they work. I would not expect a pro to walk into my house with a first alert home wall unit, yes Id laugh and throw him out. They just are not designed for the abuse of what a pro puts them through.

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Bubba 20 years ago

Hey Ransley, Go to

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and read. You will find out just how well your goverment is taking care of us with CO detectors. CO Levels that dont alarm until you can be sick. Why? Stupid really. Keep in mind though, you wont pay $25 or $35 for a CO detector at

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. $100 will get you one. Just read and then make your own conclusions. Bubba

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m Ransley 20 years ago

I agree with the high Co needed to alarm issues being wrong, in not being displayed or alarmed somehow at levels above Zero, as in 1ppm., but there is a reason for that. An example is years ago when something like 10-14000 false alarms in Chicago were called in because of a temperature inversion in 24 hrs. I always recommend using the Peak memory function. To me what is important is they do monitor Co and record any level higher than Zero, I agree Zero is what it should be. A dual range dual alarm type is needed. My heavy cooking can sometimes make a 1-3 ppm reading for a minute, it should be noted with say lights flashing. maybe you know of sensors that are better. Best would be like my " VOC indoor air quality monitor" from Oregon Scientific, it logs a 8 hr graph of levels. When we didn`t have what we have now, many more people got sick.

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