To think I could have carbon monoxide poisoning?

[eagle27]

My boiler is contained in a cupboard in my bedroom. Normally operated by digital thermostat but batteries died tonight so I went to switch heating off at the boiler. When I opened the cupboard I smelt gas. Not overwhelmingly strong, but definitely noticeable. I turned the boiler off immediately and got an engineer coming out first thing tomorrow morning but now starting to worry I could've been exposed to CO. Also felt a bit lightheaded after smelling the gas but that could just be my mind playing tricks.

Some of the symptoms on the NHS website are:

• tiredness and confusion
• difficulty thinking or concentrating
• frequent emotional changes – for example, becoming easily irritated, depressed, or making impulsive or irrational decisions

and I'm now worrying I've had symptoms that match. I WFH some days and have to attend office other days. I often work in the bedroom because it's freezing downstairs. But I have struggled a lot with focusing at home over the past few weeks and have actually gone into the office to get stuff done as I can't focus at home. I put this down to just general distraction but other things are sticking out:

• I've had some confusion with dates recently. Mixing up dates of meetings and also mixed up some days I was due in the office/WFH so ended up being at home when I should've been at work. There has been the odd time I've mixed up meetings/dates before but not this much in a short period iyswim
• Tiredness especially in the morning i.e. not being able to get up when my alarm goes off, having to snooze it and sleep in 1-2 hours past when I would normally wake up.
• The mood bit... I suffer from anxiety anyway but generally manage to keep it under control (to an extent as not on meds anymore and 2020 is obv terrible). However about 3 weeks ago it got extremely bad for seemingly no reason, so I put it down to being on antibiotics at the time. However I'm still not right. Relationship with DP is hanging on by a thread as I've gone 3 days without texting him on 2 occasions now. No reason except very bad anxiety and convincing myself he isn't interested. And have generally withdrawn from most other people. I have about 5 messages currently that've been sitting unopened for a week, from people I'm quite close to. Also cried at work over something very minor (which is VERY unlike me).

So as you can imagine I'm in full panic mode until engineer comes tomorrow. Do my symptoms suggest CO exposure to you or AIBU? (I do have a tendency for paranoia at times). The caveat is that I've gone through mental dips before, so I'm no stranger to some of the symptoms like social withdrawal and tiredness. Could just be going into another depressive episode which wouldn't surprise me with everything that's gone on this year. Please help calm me down!

Do you not have a carbon monoxide detector?
I'd get one ASAP if its a gas boiler

@dementedpixie Not in this property. Lost it in house move in June and been meaning to get one for ages just never got round to it. Feeling very regretful and stupid about that now

Did you call the emergency number 0800 111 999? Have you turned your gas off at the meter?
I had a gas leak a few weeks ago, called the emergency number and someone came out within 45 mins to confirm that there was a leak and he put a cap on the gas supply.
We then had to phone our boiler contactor to actually come and fix the leak itself the next day.
The leak we had was from the gas supply pipe so, like you, I could smell the gas. As far as I know, carbon monoxide doesn't have a smell.
Please shut off your gas supply and call the emergency number if you haven't already. When I smelt gas it wasn't strong at all but it turned out that it was a massive leak and we were lucky we don't smoke or burn candles.
Hope you are ok OP! The folks at the emergency number are really helpful.

You need to call National Grid 24 hour hotline and it will be classed as an emergency. I had to call them out last week and they were here in under half an hour. You need to turn the gas off, there should be a large lever handle on the gas meter. Ring them now.

You can't smell carbon monoxide, if you smell gas you need to contact national grid urgently

@Spookyspoonmcginty
I phoned landlord at first who didn’t seem overly concerned just told me to switch supply off and that he would send his DS round first thing tomorrow (his DS is a gas engineer). In hindsight I’m wondering if I maybe downplayed the smell to him, I’m not used to private renting and didn’t want to seem like I was overreacting/ being demanding etc. I am quite an anxious person and always think I’m annoying people.

Google told me to ring that number but I didn’t fancy getting someone out this late at night. If this has been going on for weeks (which it probably has) then I don’t think the ~12 hours will make a difference. I’m not worried about explosions etc as like you I don’t smoke/use candles and upstairs windows are permanently open so no potential for it to have built up. I do appreciate the advice though and I’m glad you got to the bottom of yours and no one was harmed.

Mainly asking about the CO as if it’s confirmed to be a leak I’ll probably be ringing GP or 111 tomorrow to get myself and DS checked. Didn’t know whether to pre warn my boss that I might not be in.
Luckily DS is at his dad’s tonight, if he was here I probably would’ve rang emergency number to be on the safe side.

Carbon monoxide has no smell. I have experienced acute carbon monoxide poisoning. I had a raging headache, was very confused and couldn’t walk without staggering/ falling over. My dc who was also I the house collapsed and couldn’t move at all.
I think you can get more chronic issues though.
If you can actually smell gas and think there’s a leak you should phone the gas board for advice
www.nationalgrid.com/uk/gas-transmission/safety-and-emergencies/emergencies-and-safety-advice

If you're in rented then your landlord should have the gas and CO emissions tested annually. Hopefully it's nothing but you are right to be concerned. My parents had CO poisoning and it effected them very quickly but it can be slower if it's a minor leak.

Ring the emergency gas number and open every window you have. Smelling gas in a house is an absolute immediate-action-required emergency

If you are in rented accommodation then your landlord should have put a carbon monoxide alarm in the property.

I'm not sure what to suggest than getting as much fresh air into the property as possible by opening all the windows and getting the boiler looked at asap (which you are already doing).

Isn't it a legal requirement for landlords to provide CO and smoke alarms?

My carbon monoxide alarm went off and soneonecame out straight away. Was a false alarm though the batteries were going apparently. They gave me a new alarm.

Someone came*

@Ginfordinner

Isn't it a legal requirement for landlords to provide CO and smoke alarms?

Yes.

I don't know if CO detectors are legally required unless its a solid fuel burning appliance e.g. like a coal fire, rather than a gas fueled appliance

Yes it’s a legal requirement for landlord to provide smoke and CO alarms

Can you buy a Co detector? Could put your mind at ease.

Private sector landlords are required from 1 October 2015 to have at least one smoke alarm installed on every storey of their properties and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room containing a solid fuel burning appliance (eg a coal fire, wood burning stove). After that, the landlord must make sure the alarms are in working order at the start of each new tenancy.

Isn't legally required to have a CO alarm for a gas appliance but I'd buy one of my own for my own protection.

@BadgertheBodger

Yes it’s a legal requirement for landlord to provide smoke and CO alarms

Its only a legal requirement to provide CO alarms if there is a solid fuel appliance. They do have to provide smoke alarms though

A landlord should have an annual gas safety check, it’s a legal requirement, also if any cost for engineer call out then those are his to cover.

CO poisoning is known as the silent killer.

Your landlord should get someone who is Gas Safe Registered to check appliances annually and provide a working alarm.

It can also cause brain damage. I understand there was study carried out (examining brain tissue after death) in France a few years ago where about 10% showed indications of brain damage due to CO.

[quote eagle27]@Spookyspoonmcginty
I phoned landlord at first who didn’t seem overly concerned just told me to switch supply off and that he would send his DS round first thing tomorrow (his DS is a gas engineer). In hindsight I’m wondering if I maybe downplayed the smell to him, I’m not used to private renting and didn’t want to seem like I was overreacting/ being demanding etc. I am quite an anxious person and always think I’m annoying people.

Google told me to ring that number but I didn’t fancy getting someone out this late at night. If this has been going on for weeks (which it probably has) then I don’t think the ~12 hours will make a difference. I’m not worried about explosions etc as like you I don’t smoke/use candles and upstairs windows are permanently open so no potential for it to have built up. I do appreciate the advice though and I’m glad you got to the bottom of yours and no one was harmed.

Mainly asking about the CO as if it’s confirmed to be a leak I’ll probably be ringing GP or 111 tomorrow to get myself and DS checked. Didn’t know whether to pre warn my boss that I might not be in.
Luckily DS is at his dad’s tonight, if he was here I probably would’ve rang emergency number to be on the safe side.[/quote]
You've smelt gas - people have told you to call the gas emergency number. Just do it - it's an emergency number. This "didn't fancy getting anyone out" thing is silly. Just call.

If there is a gas leak 12 hours can make a huge difference - gas is explosive.

And also get a carbon monoxide detector - Argos have them.

Is this a joke? You can’t be this daft surely? Asking strangers on the internet instead of calling the emergency number as you’ve been advised both here and on Google

Another one saying call the emergency number. My dad works as a metre reader. If he smells gas anywhere, he rings the number and makes everyone in the house wait outside because has is explosive. The emergency engineer is supposed to get there within 45 minutes.