Risk of carbon monoxide?

[Houseofvelour]

We had an old fireplace in the back room and when we turned it into the playroom, DH ripped the fireplace out, boarded it over and plastered it. The recess which would've been the inside of the fireplace is now shelves for toys.

It's been like that for the past year but over the last few months, there's been a strong smell of soot in the room. The whole room and everything in it stinks.

My concern is, if there's loads of soot up the chimney that hadn't been cleaned out, could there be a risk of carbon monoxide?
DH says it's fine but I'm really anxious about it.

Carbon monoxide... No..

.. But buy yourself a cheap detector if it makes you feel better. Every house that has gas should gave one anyway.

I have a carbon monoxide detector in the room with the boiler so I'll stick it in the old fireplace tonight 😂

Carbon monoxide is caused by the incomplete combustion of gas etc... As there is no fire, gas etc there will be no Co.

If there was a gas leak you would smell it as they add an agent so you can smell it.

No. Carbon Monoxide is produced when there isn't enough oxygen for fuel to burn properly. It dissipates pretty quickly (within minutes) once the fire is out. From what you've said, the fireplace hasn't been used in years, definitely not in the last couple of hours.

However you want a carbon monoxide detector next to each gas (or other fuel burning) device; ours has gone off in the past, and we were very grateful for the warning.

Just as an aside, we have one in the room where we have a woodburning stove. It was recommended by our installer. It reassures us even though it's not gas-burning.
We have other carbon monoxide detectors dotted around the house where gas is involved too. Better safe than sorry!

Thanks for the advice! I've just ordered another detector for the kitchen as we have a gas range cooker.

Was it a gas fire?

@DrHildegardeLanstrom

Was it a gas fire?

No, a Victorian coal fire

Was the chimney capped?
If not rain may be getting onto the soot and causing it to fall down, gives off quite a distinctive smell.
Is the flue shared with any other fires?

Everyone should have a CO detector where they use fossil fuels.
That's coal, gas, oil, wood. I even have one in my campervan where we use bottled gas.