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So i'm renting a house/unit type building and it came with its own stove installed. This thing looks like its 30 years old at least. But lately i've started wondering if its safe because I came down with chronic nausea, fatigue, dizziness etc. And I started to wonder if theres some slight chance i've been poisoned by low doses of carbon monoxide from this stove the entire time I've been living here. The flames are mostly blue, but the top half is usually orange/yellow and some are higher up/dance around. And lately i've seen orange sparks fly up from some of the flames. A while ago I had a guy from the gas company come look at it, he didn't detect any leaks and said orange flames weren't much to worry about. But every internet source i've seen says that its a sign of incomplete combustion and the flames should be blue.
You should have a CO detector regardless of what your stove is doing. They sell them in every hardware store.
I have two actually, they have never went off. But then again they would only go off if the levels of CO were high enough to cause severe symptoms/death. I don't think they'd pick up a small leak or low levels.
You'd want the flames to be as blue as possible. Good thing is other than pilots (if not pilot-less ie Electronic ignition etc.) the burners are only on while you're cooking and hopefully awake. If you feel light headed or getting headaches and such you can get outdoors to fresh air. If sleeping it could be a different outcome. CO detectors are cheap and sometimes more valuable than smoke detectors. Both are recommended.
But then again they would only go off if the levels of CO were high enough to cause severe symptoms/death. I don't think they'd pick up a small leak or low levels.
I'm pretty sure they're supposed to go off if there is CO enough to sicken you. I've known them to go off before anybody felt sick.
My experience is the CO detectors are sensitive... also, using a range hood would exhaust the CO
There isn't a range hood installed, its just the stove...and then on the ceiling there is a circular hole. Nothing to suck up any fumes. Its literally just a hole in the ceiling. This stove using natural gas as well. Also, this apartment doesn't have an installed smoke alarm. Which i'm pretty sure is illegal in california, the landlord could probably get in trouble for that.
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Incomplete combustion occurs when there is not enough *air* fed into the system.
Look closely at the burners and see if there is some kind of air inlet that is adjustable.
Often some kind of ring that can be turned.
PGE offers free gas stove safety checks if you are a gas customer.
Also... the regs for smoke detectors require 1 per bedroom plus 1 per floor... plus a CO detector unless your home is all electric with no fireplace... then no CO required.
It could be your CO detectors are also smoke detectors... I have several that are both.
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