Furnace service provider?
 

Hi all,

I have an old oil burning forced hot air furnace in my 1950 house that I can smell in my house when I run it. I have a CO2 detector that says all the levels are fine but it smells and I want to spend more time there over this winter.

I think the furnace is from the 1970's and Rymes tells me they can't get out there until later January.

Anyone know a good professional that could take a look?

Thanks and happy holidays!
Steve

Oil burners need to be serviced every year. They need to be cleaned, filters replaced, nozzle replaced and tested. If you don't have this done each year you are asking for trouble. I use Foley oil, 603 524-1417

If you can smell it in the house that's not a good sign. Just last week a father and son died from CO2 poisoning in southern mass because of a furnace problem. It's not something to fool around with. I use Stafford Oil, be safe.

...... www.dutileoil.net .... or ....... www.staffordoil.com .... both in Laconia ....... both real good heating services ..... and both support the www.wowtrail.org .... also in Laconia

I agree with Biggd, If you can smell fumes in the house there must be holes in the heat exchanger in the furnace. You need to replace the furnace. Don’t wait, this has to be done ASAP.

steve buy 393-8498

Rhymes can't get there until January? Hopefully you have another oil supplier lined up. That is totally unacceptable.

So far Steve Buy is helping me out and he's been fantastic. More detail as he gets me warm again. Thanks for the great recommendation. Rymes wasn't the only oil company that couldn't help out on short notice. I guess the coldest day of the year is a bad day to have a furnace die :emb:

Just an fyi. I have an oil furnace at my skihouse. Last year we had pretty bad spells with co2 smells on really, I mean really windy days. It looked like it was just being blown back down the chimney. Well, after my housemate got pretty sick we had the house inspected. They found a large hole between the combustion side and the heat exchanger for the hot air. We were distributing CO2 through the whole house. Real scary I didn't wake up dead. Dont mess with CO2.

Well here's a picture of what Steve Buy found. So thanks for the encouragement everyone and to Steve for getting in there on short notice and working in pretty gross conditions (under the house). Not only did he save my pipes and our winter but very likely someone's life.. :look:

My CO alarm never went off but when they pulled my oil furnace last year there was a bit of soot in the 'hot box.' I used to have bad colds and sinus but now that I have a gas furnace, that problem has disappeared.

I don't know when the old furnace was installed but my house went up in 1952 and the call for service sticker used a single digit for the exchange. LoL

Those old furnaces can be fixed forever until the heat chamber burns through. Then, you are screwed. Unless you find that part to keep on standby you might want to start saving toward a new furnace.

Good luck!

Long term exposure to small amounts of CO can be dangerous, too! 12 years ago my sister and her college roommates were poisoned due to a faulty boiler in their apartment building, one person died and 6 others were severely poisoned, please take the smell seriously!!! We are thankful everyday for the persistence of my sister's neighbor who called 911 when she wasn't feeling well and suspected CO poisoning, after the college infirmary told her she had the flu.

Odorless
 

Carbor Monoxide is odorless.....please everyone get a CO detector and a smoke detector. They really do save lives! Cheapest life insurance ever.

Good point, the OP referenced the exhaust odor, so that's what I was referring to.

Hi all!

If you can smell semi burnt oil fumes, there is a good chance you also have a dangerous carbon monoxide (CO) problem. You will not smell the CO, but a leak in the firebox will allow an unburnt fuel smell into your house and if you have that, you very likely have CO.

There is a huge difference between carbon dioxide (CO2) which is harmless and carbon monoxide (CO) which is deadly. The absence of one oxygen molecule in the compound really can kill you.

I wish the OP well in getting the problem addressed.

R2B

CO2, carbon dioxide, is deadly also. You can't smell it but you can feel it in your lungs in high enough concentrations. Except for oxygen, any gas will suffocate you.

This year I added a few Netatmo modules to my house which, among other things, monitors CO2 levels. It was a real eye opener to watch the CO2 levels. When my wife and I are sleeping in our bedroom with the doors and windows shut the CO2 level soars. Not quite into the dangerous zone but still very high. We now leave the hall door open a little and the levels are much lower. The same for my home office. It is a small, tight room and after I work for a few hours the CO2 level is so high that I now open the outside door occasionally to get some fresh air. Without the Netatmo I was completely unaware of these high CO2 levels. New houses have forced ventilation but my house is over 60 years old.

Steve Buy correct phone number...
 

...is 393-8498. I tried the number in this thread above and found out that a couple of digits were transposed. Just FYI.

Yes that's the right number. Sorry for the typo. BTW Steve did fantastic work when no one else wanted the project. I highly recommend him.