The Verdict

We were so completely convinced that we were slowly being poisoned by the CO2 leaking from our oven which is less than 3 years old. The Sears Repair Man came and tested the oven. He explained that it was completely normal for a gas oven with electronic ignition to emit CO2 on start up. Sears allows up to 1000 ppm. CO2 release on start up. The fireman measured 200-300ppm on start up before turning off the oven. All gas ovens release CO2 on start up then once the oven pilot is lit, the CO2 goes back down again to almost nothing. How did the fireman not know that? He also took our CO2 detector and set it by the spot on the stove top where the CO2 comes out of. It NEVER went off. He said that everything checked out just fine with the oven. He also checked the new water heater before he left as I asked him to. Then charged us $129 to tell us everything was perfectly fine? Bagh! That's a lot of money for something I believe was the fire departments mistake. I asked him if the fire department knew about the CO2 ppm that was allowed on oven start up. He said that usually the older or more experienced fire men know about it. I think they should all be trained on this if you ask me.

Anyway, we reluctantly paid the $129 and left our CO2 detector hung right where it always had been and hoped it had just been a fluke or something. We still wondered why it went off when it hadn't for years and had purchased the stove and the CO2 detector at about the same time about three years ago.

We debated buying a new detector. Then about a few days after the Sears Repair Man had been here, the detector went off again when I took a shower. Cop Dad had it with the stupid thing and grabbed it off the wall and called the 800 number on the back. After much talk about installing new batteries, (three different sets), they finally decided that the detector was broken or faulty and are sending us a no charge replacement immediately. It is still in the mail and we are relieved that they are standing behind their products BUT still hurting for paying the $129 for the Sears Repair Man to test 2 appliances and find that they were operating perfectly. I just keep reminding myself that our lives are more than $129 and try to look at it that way.

Currently without a CO2/smoke detector upstairs and eagerly awaiting the arrival of our new replacement. I still think it is vital that everyone have one of these in their homes. Imagine if the unit was faulty and it never went off like it did. We could have died. If you really want a better picture of CO2 poisoning and more facts about it visit: http://www.cdc.gov/co/faqs.htm