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gas leak

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emeraldtoucan

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My pilot light went out on my furnace, so natural gas started leaking. I'm hypersensitive to it, so will generally start right away having all kinds of terrible symptoms (headaches, lethargy, and just feeling like killing over) while most anyone else doesn't even notice anything except maybe a little smell (if that, as I also happen to have a much better sense of smell than most). Well all the birds are acting normal so far, but they are also some distance from the leak, so chances are good that it didn't reach their location. I did turn off the gas, and have aired out the building, and will have someone out tomorrow to check on the issue, but I"m a bit worried. What signs (aside from dropping dead, which I hope it doesn't come to) should I be looking out for? I know it was only a very minor gas leak, but still.
 
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suncoast

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I don't know, but I hope you are all well.

Ginger
 

waterfaller1

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That's good news!:hug8:
 

Anne & Gang

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if the birds are doing ok so far then they should be fine...I would say that youshould look for signs of respiratory distress tail bobbing, etc. good luck and let us know
 

birdlady

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OH how scary..I am so glad you noticed right away, saving your family and your birds. I would say you should be out of the woods, but I would still keep things ventilated.
 

Greycloud

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I, also have that extra sensitive nose over some people. Lucky for you, you detected the problem immediately. I am glad you and your birds are safe.
The problem with fumes and birds is, that once the fumes reach the birds the damage is done. Most birds will breathe rapidly, tail bob, flutter to the bottom of the cage and die. It takes a total of about 1-2 minutes, tops.
Your birds are fine, i'm sure.
 

Macawlvr

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Hmmm...I'm not certain about 'all' furnaces or how many years ago that the manufacturers changed over for safety reasons, but every one of them I have seen for many years now has a sensor on it that automatically cuts the gas completely off if the pilot light goes out. I guess I just assumed they all had one on them unless the furnace is a very old one.

I'm certainly glad things turned out well for you and your birds.
 

birdlady

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James, that is good to know as we just got a new boiler...I will have to ask about the automatic shut off...prior to a few weeks ago we had a beast of an old one...use to be a coal funace! lol

Everyone should also have carbon monoxide detectors to be safe.
 

Macawlvr

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James, that is good to know as we just got a new boiler...I will have to ask about the automatic shut off...prior to a few weeks ago we had a beast of an old one...use to be a coal funace! lol

Everyone should also have carbon monoxide detectors to be safe.
A lot of them are not using pilot lights anymore...they use electronic igniters or else a rod that heats up to ignite the gas. New furnaces should have several sensors on them that check for various functions. Unless everything checks out sensor wise, the gas will not come on at all.
 

Icebird

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Every furnace made in the last 50 plus years is required to have an automatic shutoff so that if the pilot light goes out, the gas shuts off. It uses a thermocouple to detect heat and once the heat is below a certain point, it shuts off the gas completely. That's why, when you light a pilot light, you have to press and hold a button for a few minutes. This bypasses the thermocouple, and allows the gas to flow so the pilot can be lit, and run long enough to heat up the thermocouple. If your furnace is not doing this, then it's time to call a plumber of gasfitter to fix it!

A carbon monoxide detector only detects carbon monoxide, thus the name. If you have a gas leak, a CO detector will not tell you about it. Natural gas and propane are both completely odorless, so a chemical is added to it so you can smell it. Carbon monoxide is also odorless, but no chemical is added to it, since it is produced, not delivered. It is the most dangerous, and most common problem as far as poisoning or death is concerned. Anyone that tells you they can smell CO is wrong, they may smell something, but CO has zero odor or taste. The first symptom is a headache, and from there it gets rapidly worse.

Jim
 

emeraldtoucan

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This one should be shutting off automatically, but it's become faulty, so I'm going to have to have it fixed now. Fortunately the birds are doing fine this morning, no tail bobbing, or breathing differently, not even for the little finches, which I suspect would be the first ones to show signs of a problem. I'm very glad.
 

birdman78

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A carbon monoxide detector only detects carbon monoxide, thus the name. If you have a gas leak, a CO detector will not tell you about it. Natural gas and propane are both completely odorless, so a chemical is added to it so you can smell it. Carbon monoxide is also odorless, but no chemical is added to it, since it is produced, not delivered. It is the most dangerous, and most common problem as far as poisoning or death is concerned. Anyone that tells you they can smell CO is wrong, they may smell something, but CO has zero odor or taste. The first symptom is a headache, and from there it gets rapidly worse.

Jim
Correct. Plus, CO2 is a bi-product of a gas being burned, ie: car exhaust, home gas heat. In a house CO2 detector is good incase your exhaust duct from your heater gets blocked.
This one should be shutting off automatically, but it's become faulty, so I'm going to have to have it fixed now. Fortunately the birds are doing fine this morning, no tail bobbing, or breathing differently, not even for the little finches, which I suspect would be the first ones to show signs of a problem. I'm very glad.
Happy to hear everyone is doing well. :hug8:
 

emeraldtoucan

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Correct. Plus, CO2 is a bi-product of a gas being burned, ie: car exhaust, home gas heat. In a house CO2 detector is good incase your exhaust duct from your heater gets blocked.

Happy to hear everyone is doing well. :hug8:
This reminds me, someone that used to live here actually intentionally blocked the exhaust duct, and put tin foil over all the air ducts (is that the right word for them?). Ends up that the person that did that was a marijuana grower, and from what I hear that is something people whom grow weed sometimes do. I think the guy actually got caught, and that's why he's no longer living here. Of course I removed all of the blockage, and that solved the problems that I had when I first moved in. The heater worked fine after removing the blockage until now, so I think this is a whole new problem.
 
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birdman78

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Someone that used to live where I do actually intentionally blocked the exhaust duct, and put tin foil over all the air ducts (is that the right word for them?). Ends up that the person that did that was a marijuana grower, and from what I hear that is something people whom grow weed sometimes do. Of course I removed all of the blockage, and that solved the problems that I had when I first moved in.
WOW, well ok. Glad you found the blocked off ducts and fixed them.
 

emeraldtoucan

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WOW, well ok. Glad you found the blocked off ducts and fixed them.
Yeah it was a while ago, and while the vents/ducts were blocked up the heater would frequently stop working, and fumes would build up, so unhealthy, I'm really lucky not to have lost anyone then.
 
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