Stove Leaking Carbon Monoxide 97 ppm (appliances, home, to buy)

[HappySpring]

I'm home tonight and decided on having this frozen dinner thing so I turn on the oven to 450. About 5 mins into the warming up, my son smells something really funny. I come in the kitchen and omg, it smells like gas!
I turn off the stove, open the windows and call Keyspan. They came in about 10 mins. Awesome company! They guy comes in and has this tester and is checking everything out, taking his time and doesn't detect any gas. What he discovered was our stove was leaking carbon monoxide. He said that people can be exposed to about 9 ppm for several hours before feeling sick, but ours was at 97 ppm which is extremely high. He shut the gas valve to the stove until we get it fixed or replaced. God knows what could of happened if my son didn't go into the kitchen when he did. By the way, I do have an electric carbon monoxide dectector, I am hoping the reason it didn't go off is because I turned off the stove and opened the windows to allow the fresh air in before it had a chance. Now I am questioning the device . My stove is 7 years old.

Anyway, I wanted to let everyone know that carbon monoxide is suppose to be odorless, my leak had a smell and the Keyspan guy said it can smell, but most cases it won't so please make sure you have a carbon monoxide detector in your home. I never thought this could happen. I only thought carbon monoxide was what came out of your cars exhaust pipes.

I'm off to buy a new stove instead of having it repaired. I can never look at it the same anymore.

[OhBeeHave]

Thank goodness your son smelled something!

[kevink1955]

Just to keep things straight, Stoves do not leak carbon monoxide (CO) they create it from incomplete combustion. Most likely you will find the oven burner air intake partly pluged with dust/cobwebs/spiders and pet hair.

Restricting the air flow to any gas burner will cause a large increase in CO production and will usuly make the flame look soft (no sharp blue cones) and may even look yellow.

All gas burning equipment should be cleaned and serviced at least every 2 years as CO is usuly oderless, the OP was smelling the other products of incomplete combustion. That thing must have been burning realy badly to smell like it did.

The OP is right, get a CO detector. It could save your life.

[twingles]

I had the same exact thing happen to me a couple of weeks ago, and the Keyspan guy said he had just had 2 calls about the same thing the day before. Same as you, I was preheating the oven and same as you I smelled gas. Same as you our hard wired CO detectors did not go off.

Luckily we got it fixed for less than $100.

[ENFD240]

fyi ... you cant smell CO

[HappySpring]

It was pretty scary twingles. Thanks for letting me know we shared the same experience. I have never heard of this happening before in all my years of being alive. But what kevink1955 saidmakes sense.
I do have 3 cats and the cat hair could be the issue since they always hang out in the kitchen looking for something to fall from the counter while I cook.

So it was an easy cheap fix huh? I'm not sure I want to try and repair it.

I went looking today for a new one and they are pricey !!

Have to think about it.

[kevink1955]

Happyspring

Have an appliance tech look at it, I am sure they can find what caused it. Most likley something is restricting the air intake to the burner, should be an easy fix.

Most gas appliances are very simple devices, gas is delivered thru an orifice at a fixed rate. Air is mixed with the gas and the mixture flows to the burner.

Only 2 things can screw it up, 1 is restricted air intake (dirty) or gas pressure to high. I would bet on dirty air intake as gas pressure regulators are very reliable and rarely fail.

I know you said Keyspan turned it off but if you turn it back on to test it I will bet the flame is yellow (or at least the tips are yellow) indicating it does not have enough air to burn properly. Look at the air intake for the burner and see if it has a hairball growing (love them cats)

[daeboyes]

I have a bad odor coming from my gas stove and the maintenance men from this high rise said it was not natural gas. The meter was going off when they put it at a specific place on the pipe of the stove, but they will not address it. My eyes burn and itch, it gives me headaches and wondering if is the cause of other health issues. How can I tell what it is, if not carbon monoxide which you are saying does not smell? and who do I call or what can I say to them to make them address it?

[mikealarm]

Carbon Monoxide detectors are like smoke detectors they need to be vacuumed out or blown out from all the dust throughout the years that build up, otherwise they will not work.

[daeboyes]

I do not have a CO2 alarm, they are still in storage (just moved). Are you saying that that is what I am smelling? I thought it was odorless?