[Greenbuilding] [BULK] Re: Question on tight house, carbon monoxide

[KTOT (g)]

Yes, the canning and soup pots are larger than regular pots, significantly larger than the circumference of the flame. No soot, however.

From: Bob klahn 
Sent: Saturday, February 18, 2012 12:10 AM
To: greenbuilding at lists.bioenergylists.org 
Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] [BULK] Re: Question on tight house,carbon monoxide

Sorry to have restated the obvious.  I just noticed the thread - and  started at the most recent posting.

One other thought though, on part of the original problem (based on an assumption - always risky, so I'll check).
If the canning pot is larger than your normal pots and pans (most seem to be), could the key to the high CO production be that the flame is impinging on ( flaring out across) the bottom of the pot?  This will tend to reduce the combustion efficiency (in extremes even soot up the pot bottom,educe combustion efficiency and increase the CO production.

I'd expect the oven to be set to burn relatively efficiently, so we don't hear of cooks keeling over, and produce less CO even when on for longer  times.

All speculation, but I bit my boot so deeply on the last one, I had 
Bob Klahn

  I actually watch them quite closely to keep them from boiling over. The CO level goes way up before they do occasionally boil over, however, definitely. The CO level goes up when the flames are burning properly blue. 

  No way could I have the stove vented outside when the house was built without huge additional cost--I had an expert builder and confirmed this at the time. Thus the alternative, a vent with carbon filter. No, it is not against code, at least not here, definitely. 

  -----Original Message----- From: Corwyn 
  Sent: Friday, February 17, 2012 12:19 PM 
  To: greenbuilding at lists.bioenergylists.org 
  Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] Question on tight house, carbon monoxide 

  On 2/17/2012 1:40 PM, KTOT (g) wrote: 


    Every time I make soup or jams (or other canning which involves 
    sterilizing then heat processing the jars in boiling water), both of 
    which involve boiling liquid for multiple hours, my digital CO alarms 
    read above the safe levels so I end up opening doors, even on cold 
    winter days and nights, to let the CO out. I do keep one alarm near the 
    kitchen, but the one in the bedroom also gets very high readings. These 
    are both brand-name, brand new CO alarms as well so I trust them (plus 
    once when I forgot to check them, a regular CO alarm did go off in the 
    same circumstances). 


  My guess would be that those things are boiling over a bit and adding a 
  bit of liquid water to the flames causing them to burn less efficiently. 
  Do you occasionally see yellow flames?  I see the same thing when my 
  sweetie makes jam. 


    I do run the exhaust fan, which is the kind that has a filter but is not 
    vented to the outside (due to the location of the stove and fan). 


  A vent fan not vented to the outside is useless as regards CO or CO2. 


  Note that CO is result of incomplete burning, while CO2 is a result of 
  complete burning.  You do not want too high a concentration of either. 

  I would recommend either a vent fan which actually vents to the outside 
  (note in my very lax jurisdiction, what you have would be against the 
  code), or an HRV or ERV with a boost switch near the stove. 

  Thank You Kindly, 

  Corwyn 






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