Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas that is colorless, odorless and tasteless. A feeling of exhaustion is quite common. Trust your WE LOVE FIRE dealer. How does a fireplace produce carbon monoxide? In other parts of the world, however, carbon monoxide levels are elevated even during months when fire counts are low. Whenever something is burned there are by-products of the burning process and carbon monoxide is produced. Even low-level exposure to carbon monoxide can result in permanent organ and brain damage. An electric fireplace is unable to produce carbon monoxide because there’s no real fire . Your existing chimney acts as a conduit to run the vent pipe out of the house. For additional information regarding carbon monoxide please see WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CARBON MONOXIDE. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CARBON MONOXIDE. The fire maps show the locations of actively burning fires around the world on a monthly basis, based on observations from the MODIS sensors on NASA's Terra satellite. Concentrations of carbon monoxide are expressed in parts per billion by volume (ppbv). But in most situations, burning is not complete, and fires or burning fossil fuels produce a mixture of gases, including carbon dioxide, methane, and carbon monoxide. Depending on the length and levels of exposure to CO, this natural chemical reaction can quickly destroy cells. The comparison shows that fires and atmospheric carbon monoxide levels are very closely related for some regions and some times of year, but are less closely related in other places and times. Victims need fresh air and medical attention ASAP. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas that is colorless, odorless and tasteless. About half way up the eastern coast of Asia, for example, a pocket of high carbon monoxide appears virtually year round, even when fires are not occurring nearby. Here, the carbon monoxide is part of the urban and industrial pollution generated in and around rapidly industrializing Beijing, China. So please, keep reading. Even with newly designed, manufactured models, including fireplace inserts, the combustion rate is not 100%; hence, CO is still produced. A service call to your WE LOVE FIRE dealer will check the venting and several other items on your gas equipment to ensure optimum operation. Carbon Monoxide, Land A loud alarm sounds when levels of CO start increasing in your home. Cracked or deteriorated flue tiles, separation of stainless steel components or accumulation of critter’s nesting materials can lead to life threatening problems. This is why it’s always a good idea to have any heating equipment checked by a professional prior to the heating season. Certainly they do. Prolonged exposure to high concentrations of CO can lead to unconsciousness, brain damage, or death. A well oxygenated fire will produce carbon dioxide, but if there is an inadequate oxygen supply, there will carbon monoxide. This is dangerous to everyone. Joseph G. Bodden is a Wisconsin native and is semi-retired after 40+ years in marketing, sales and technical customer service work. If inhaled, carbon monoxide crowds out life-sustaining oxygen from red blood cells. When fire counts are high, carbon monoxide is high; when fire counts are low, carbon monoxide is low. For more information, contact your local We Love Fire dealer. There can be several things done to keep your loved ones safe. Make sure the stove is venting the poisonous gases outside and always store the pellets in a covered out-building with plenty of ventilation. A similar pattern exists over the United States, the North Atlantic, and western Europe, which have relatively high (yellow) carbon monoxide concentrations even in December, January, and February, when fire activity throughout the middle and high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere is very low. Orange pixels show as many as 10 fires, while red areas show as few as 1 fire per day. Can a fireplace cause carbon monoxide? As such, carbon monoxide can only be produced when a real fire is burning one of these types of fuels. Your gas, pellet or wood burning stove, insert or fireplace will produce carbon monoxide. Both CO2 and CO are produced because an open fire burns at the just above the rate at which there is enough oxygen to produce only C02. Always keep the damper open and the gasketed doors closed to your wood burning appliance. A fireplace produces carbon monoxide when the combustion process is incomplete. It occurs when fuel is burnt without enough oxygen present – if there is enough oxygen then carbon dioxide (CO2) is produced instead. The direct answer to the question above is: yes. Over 23 of those years have been in the fireplace industry, as the Hearth Division Manager in an organization that operates two retail shops. He was also selected several times by Hearth & Home magazine as a judge for the annual VESTA awards that recognize manufacturers creativity and innovation in product design and technology. There’s nothing like unsolicited positive feedback from a happy customer! Our certified technicians take continuing education credits to make sure we can recognize serious conditions. When anything made out of carbon — whether it's vegetation, gasoline, or coal — burns completely, the only end products are carbon dioxide and water vapor. It could be natural or LP gas, fuel oil, gasoline or diesel fuel, or charcoal or wood that is burned. Bodden continues to live in Wisconsin with his bride of 43 years. But in most situations, burning is not complete, and fires or burning fossil fuels produce a mixture of gases, including carbon dioxide, methane, and carbon monoxide. Fire These increases and decreases follow an obvious seasonal pattern, linked to human cultural patterns of agricultural burning and land clearing. The fire maps show the locations of actively burning fires around the world on a monthly basis, based on observations from the MODIS sensors on NASA's Terra satellite. One thing that Joe particularly finds fulfilling is explaining fairly complex subjects to fireplace customers and steering them to specific products that will satisfy their objectives. We have lots of experience and national credentials to keep your family safe. Either of those compounds can be produced by a fire. The carbon monoxide maps show the monthly averages of carbon monoxide at an altitude of about 12,000 feet, based on data from the MOPITT sensor on NASA’s Terra satellite. A special termination cap is connected to this pipe and sealed down to the existing chimney. That pattern suggests that the carbon monoxide is coming from the burning of fossil fuels (and also perhaps from wood-burning stoves or fireplaces). Victims think they have the early signs of the flu or a nasty cold developing. Explanation: Pellet stoves do produce carbon monoxide when burning and also when the pellets are being stored.