I bought a CO (Carbon Monoxide) detector last week as I have a working woodburner in the sitting room, having recently found out burning wood and coal can give off poisonous CO if not efficient.
Two nights ago I'd had the burner going all evening, my toddler and baby fell asleep downstairs as usual and I took them up to bed still asleep around 2am.
Ten minutes after putting them to bed (we all sleep in the same bedroom), the CO alarm went off. I always take the alarm up to bed with me.
I rang the gas emergency number on the alarm unit and they advised me to open all windows, vacate the bedroom, and wait for the engineer to visit within the hour.
The engineer duly arrived and condemned the gas central heating boiler and the woodburner, as a precaution, because he wasn't qualified to measure the CO levels or their source, they just arrive to close down all fuel sources for safety.
He advised me that because our bedroom is above the sitting room where the woodburner is, it's likely the chimney is unlined and/or there's a blockage or fault in the chinmey or flue, as I mentioned that smoke wisps escape from either side of the chimney breast when the burner's lit and he commented that the smoke smell is particularly heavy everywhere in the house, even outside, despite fact burner had died down to embers hours previously.
I also explained all three of us had very bad coughs for weeks which I'd put down to winter colds, also that I did experience slight giddiness if I closed my eyes whilst standing upright in the bedroom, which I'd also dismissed as tiredness.
Then I learn these can be symptoms of Carbon Monoxide poisoning.
Because he had no meters to measure the CO present, I have no idea whether we would allhave died in our sleep or not if I hadn't taken the alarm up with me...nor whether the coughs are slow poisoning from the CO, as our bed is right next to the chimney breast. The gas man said CO leaks through brickwork and floorboards and can even pass through into your neighbour's house because of this.
I live in private rented property. I can't touch the condemned appliances so we have those little mobile radiators and a fan heater (which are all very expensive to run), luckily still have hot water as it's heated electrically.
However, I can't cook on the gas hob nor dry clothes, which with a 6 month old baby in nappies you can imagine I get trhough a lot of babygros! I couldn't afford to run a tumble dryer even if I had one (I am not working and claiming INcome Support, the children's father is absent and does not support financially except for £5 a week CSA deductions, we left him because of DV).
The landlord seems bemused that, in his words, I "bothered initiating this whole process" that is he wonders why I called out the gas emergency number when the alarm went off. It's as if he doesn't believe me, he keeps stating he's lived with open fires for 20 years and never had CO, and that adequate ventilation in the bedroom would have prevented this incident. My bedroom door is ajar, but I don't leave a window open at night when it's -1 outside and there's a baby in the bedroom
If it turns out the chinmey is unlined, or there's a fault in the flue fitting, then is he liable for negligence?
Even the letting agents said it's my responsibility as the tenant to ensure the chinmey is swept before using the woodburner, which one online site contradicts, but surely the burner is an appliance the same as the boiler or fridge or oven, so if it's there to be used, it should be in safe, useable condition as part of the letting agreement?
The landlord says he can't get gas man in to check the CO source and reconnect the gas until 4th Jan, so I have a week of no central heating and it's due to snow again tomorrow! He might be correct, it's Chrsitmas holidays after all, but do you think I can make my own efforts to book a man then have him Invoice the landlord?
My tenancy renewal is due on 15th January 2010 and I don't want to upset the apple cart, although both landlord and letting agents are polite I have a feeling there's a negligence liability issue at stake. Plus the landlord will have to pay the costs for the repair man to come out, when the landlord thinks that couldhave been avoidable, ie why did I ring the emergency gas people when the alarm sounded..but what else was I supposed to do? Think oh yees, there's lethal Carbon Monoxide fumes in our bedroom where we were just sleeping, I'll just let a bit of air in then go back to sleep...surely the SOURCE of the CO needs to be found and eliminated or at least confirmed that it's the burner, not the boiler, in which case emergency HAS to come out?
Even the children's father has said I'm 'making trouble' by organising my own repair man (I just don't want to wait another week with no heating or gas hob) and by questioing my letting agent and landlord over whether the chimney's lined or not.
Ultimately, the alarm unit detected CO in the bedroom. If I had no alarm, depending on the levels present, all 3 of us could have died in our sleep. I don't know whether I'm underplaying the incident in my head, or if I need to be better informed and start demanding checks and repairs and reconnections immediately instead of 'next week sometime'.
I'm too scared to sleep in the room, it gives me the willies now.
Any views would be gratefully welcomed.