Nanning mentioned; carbon monoxide issues in an article.

[danb]

I saw this article the other day on the internet. It mentions Nanning.It talks about carbon monoxide problems in Chinese homes today.

 

 

http://wcrcleaders.com/china-carbon-monoxide-deaths-html-2/

 

Just last week we had a problem ( in the USA) with an old carbon monoxide monitor in an apartment downstairs. Alarm went off at 1:00 in the morning on Saturday. Gas company was called. False alarm. A new monitor with a 3 digit display costs about 35 dollars from Amazon.

 

 

[Randy W]

I don't see ANY flame heaters, except for stoves and possibly water heaters. The stoves have hoods for exhaust, so I don't think this is much of a problem - but it could become one where they are converting from coal heat.Our own water heater is powered by an A/C heat pump.

My mother-in-law's home has a gas water heater and a little window that she hangs a washcloth over to keep out the cold.

The newer homes are VERY air tight with weatherstripping, though.

[Greg.D.]

Just had a friend from Huangzhou asking yesterday about US formaldehyde reg’s. She had her new home inspected.

 

We set exposure limits whereas china has a set number (100 ppb). Her house tested at 90 ppb whereas AVERAGE in China is 238 ppb. US houses average around 28, I think.

 

So, yes, tighter houses and lots of new furniture = high formaldehyde. If your house is warm, it’s exacerbated.

[danb]

Most of the homes that I have been in have had gas water heater in the bathroom. Older homes. One home had the gas water heat outside but it was on the outside wall of the bathroom. I wonder if C02 monitors are used and for sell in China. In the hotels most I have seen some electric water heater. Electric and 220 volts and water? Uggh ??

[Randy W]

Most of the homes that I have been in have had gas water heater in the bathroom. Older homes. One home had the gas water heat outside but it was on the outside wall of the bathroom. I wonder if C02 monitors are used and for sell in China. In the hotels most I have seen some electric water heater. Electric and 220 volts and water? Uggh ??

 

 

That would be CO (carbon monoxide) to worry about, probably not CO2 - https://www.kane.co.uk/knowledge-centre/what-are-safe-levels-of-co-and-co2-in-rooms

 

I've got a picture somewhere of a shower with two (220V) heat lamp sockets right behind the shower nozzle

[amberjack1234]

Randy. Mother and father n law has one.

[Randy W]

From the Minnesota Dept of Health - http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/indoorair/co2/

 

Carbon dioxide is often measured in indoor environments to quickly but indirectly assess approximately how much outdoor air is entering a room in relation to the number of occupants. CO2 can be measured with relatively inexpensive real-time digital air monitoring equipment. CO2 measurements have become a commonly used screening test of indoor air quality because levels can be used to evaluate the amount of ventilation and general comfort.

 

 

whereas CO (carbon monoxide) is a poisonous gas which in much lower concentrations, can lead to unconsciousness and death, and is largely not noticeable. In homes, it is most often a by-product of open flames and car exhaust.

 

Older Chinese homes are fairly open-air (we had to hang a washcloth over a window in my mother-in-laws bathroom in cold weather), but newer ones are largely sealed against air intrusion - solid concrete caves with weather stripping don't allow much outside air.