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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if you have a carbon monoxide alarm and if no, why not?

115 replies

Letitsnow9 · 18/02/2015 19:10

Would Ibu to ask if any of you have gas but don't have an alarm? Saw a poster on here whose daughter died from carbon monoxide and our alarm saved our families life (we hadnt always had one, we used to have the colour changing dots which wouldn't of notified us like the alarm did). Ours was £20 but you can get them cheaper

OP posts:
RollaCola · 18/02/2015 19:39

No gas in our building so no need, but if we moved to a place with gas I'd get one.

soontobemumofthree · 18/02/2015 19:41

Yes alarm ones. One upstairs, one down. Not got gas but do have an open fire and a log burning stove and you can get carbon monoxide if the chimney was blocked.

monkeyfacegrace · 18/02/2015 19:43

We haven't got one as our boiler is in an outdoor cupboard. We've only got a gas cooker and rads, no fire. Do we need one?

BlowingThroughTheJasmineinMyMi · 18/02/2015 19:44

YES we have two, one near the boiler and another more expensive one further away.

We should all take them away on holiday with us to holiday letts too

tthh nnh

brunette123 · 18/02/2015 19:46

My boiler is in the garage and I do not have a gas fire just radiators/central heating - I assumed I did not need a CM alarm - am I wrong? thanks

RunningOutOfIdeas · 18/02/2015 19:48

We have one for the log burner. The gas boiler is in the garage and is room sealed so a leak should not be possible.

When I was a student I had CO poisoning. This was a rented house before the law required landlords gas safety checks. I had been really suffering with headaches every morning and feeling like I had mild flu. I put it down to exam stress. Then one evening the boiler, which was right next to the door to my bedroom, caught fire. Turning the gas off put the fire out and the gas man said the boiler had been installed illegally and not serviced regularly. The gas was shut off until the landlord installed the correct ventilation. I had a lucky escape.

OublietteBravo · 18/02/2015 19:48

We have one. My friends sister died from carbon monoxide poisoning whilst she was in dodgy student digs at university. Definitely wouldn't take the risk of not having one.

NotALondoner · 18/02/2015 19:49

I THINK (not sure tbh) that carbon monoxide is nothing to do with gas, it is created by having any naked flame. So even if you have no gas, you may still have flames eg open fire etc.

But you should have one anyway as it can detect fumes from neighbouring properties.

Everyone should have one, and a smoke alarm.

isithotinhereorisitjustme · 18/02/2015 19:50

Yes we do and I've just checked ours to find they need to be replaced this summer - thanks for the reminder.

Sallystyle · 18/02/2015 19:53

Right, I bought an alarm one.

Where is the best place to put it? im stupid

I will buy another one next week. We have three floors.

purplemunkey · 18/02/2015 19:55

Just bought one. Never had one before but ordered on Amazon after reading this thread.

FindoGask · 18/02/2015 19:58

Anything that burns will give off carbon monoxide, like NotALondoner says.

calmexterior · 18/02/2015 19:59

We have just got one installed in the last month - was guilty of thinking the gas service was sufficient plus no one had them in t'old days.... But now realise better safe than sorry.

goldvelvet · 18/02/2015 20:02

you shouldn't put them near doorways or windows, or in cupboard or next to something that obstructs it.

We have one.

Pantone363 · 18/02/2015 20:03

Yes got one after we all got hospitalised with CM poisoning. No gas but the flue from the Rayburn was leaking.

Worst bit was that I kept the DC off school as we were unwell which made them even more poorly. DD was just under the limit for needing the decompression chamber.

darlingfascistbullyboy · 18/02/2015 20:03

we have gas (central heating & cooking) and a wood burning stove & live in a terrace (I'm just as worried about neighbours' appliances as ours) so we have detectors upstairs, downstairs, in the boiler cupboard & in the kitchen extension.

FireflySerenity · 18/02/2015 21:20

We have one and two smoke alarms that are tested regularly. Not worth the risk without.

Janethegirl · 18/02/2015 21:36

Yes I have one, and smoke detectors. Also have a CO detector on our boat.

Permanentlyexhausted · 18/02/2015 21:38

Yes, two carbon monoxide alarms and two mains-powered smoke alarms.

As others have said, it isn't just gas that can cause CO levels to rise, so please don't just assume your safe if you don't have gas.

CuddlesfromChickens · 18/02/2015 21:42

Yes we have two: one in the same room as the boiler, one in the same room as the gas fire.

Saucy Jack please, please get one.

SageYourResoluteOracle · 18/02/2015 21:44

Yup. We have a combined CO and smoke alarm in our kitchen, where the boiler and gas cooker are, a smoke alarm above the staircase and a CO monitor at the top of the stairs on a windowsill but good point about it needing to be away from a window. Will move.

EveDallas · 18/02/2015 21:46

Ours went off randomly last week - scared the absolute crap out of me. We have a multi fuel burner and it was coked up (sodding crappy coal). There was absolutely no warning - no headaches, no sleepiness, no anything that made us think there could be anything wrong.

I'm paranoid now and have a window open in every room, despite the freezing weather.

I really hate our fire.

caroldecker · 18/02/2015 21:48

Not here, also no smoke alarms or house insurance - I like the thrill of the ride Grin

wobblyweebles · 18/02/2015 22:01

We have two.

Several local hotels also have them since I nagged DH into installing them in all the buildings he was responsible for.

In one of them it saved a whole load of guests recently.

NotALondoner · 18/02/2015 22:09

Do you live alone caroldecker?

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