After every hurricane people die of Carbon Monoxide.

[WorthFlorida]

This paragraph is from the Wall Street Journal. I've posted a few times here when members ask about generator use and I alway mention CO poisoning. All the warnings are in the user manual but most don't read it since they think they are smarter but definitely dead. You run the generator At least 50 feet from any window or door and that includes those with F150's with a built in generator.

In Louisiana, where Ida made landfall Sunday as a Category 4 storm, the death toll rose to nine, as three people died of carbon-monoxide poisoning from portable generators and three nursing home residents died in squalor at a warehouse an hour north of New Orleans, where they had been taken to ride out the storm.

 

[Terry]

At least 50 feet away. Wow! I got a generator in 2006 during a snowstorm power outage. I was without power for days. Finally got the generator, hooked it up to my furnace by moving the wiring to a cord, and then 30 minutes later the power came on. I had the generator outside the home, but not 50 feet away.
I know that BBQ's are deadly too. I have mine on the back deck.
I now have a $1,200 generator that I used for 30 minutes. I don't even know if it runs after all this time.

 

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[Fitter30]

Purchased a 7 k generator 8 years ago for the sole purpose of keeping the the electric demons from invasion. Converted it to lp so i wouldn't run out of gasoline. Have only used it twice and run it couple times a year and change oil yearly. Better to have and not need then need and not have.

 

[WorthFlorida]

. At least 50 feet away. Wow! ....

Well maybe I overstated it. Online the consensus is 20 feet away from any opening. I do remember reading it at one time it was 50 ft. A gas grill burns very clean and CO builds up when the air starts to lack oxygen but most of the time you are there watching and using it, maybe for an hour. A generator people will place them at the garage door, run cords into the home through the garage door to the home, which never closes fully. A slight wind can pull the exhaust into the home.

I have three generators. I have a 25 foot 12 gauge 220v cord so the generator gets as far away as possible where I can chain it to a fence or tree. I bought a small 2500 watt unit from Sears in 1995 or so, and I didn't unbox it until Hurricane Jean in 2004. I ran it four four days about 12 hours a day to extend the gas and too noisy at night with everyone having windows open. Three weeks later Hurricane Frances hit nearly in the same local as Jean. That time we were out of power for just one day. The next season I bought a 5KW generator and have hardly used it except a few years ago when my daughter-in-law parent's needed it after we had a hurricane hit. Two years ago I bought a small 2KW Honda Inverter and it is still in a box. They are small and very quite so we could run it during the night time. Why three, I have two sons that live nearby if they are ever in need.

Why chain it to a tree. After Hurricane Jean a neighbor was outside around Midnight and he noticed a PU trunk creeping down the street. The driver was listening for generators so he could steal them. The back of his truck was loaded with generators and when the driver saw my neighbor, he took off.

 

[JerryR]

You can’t have enough generators. I have 4
A 5500 watt Generac 240 v
2-Honda 2000 watts, one converted to LP
1- Westinghouse IGEN4500DF Dual Fuel 4500 watt, still in the sealed box

The Honda 2000 converted to LP gets the most usage. Rarely does a month go by without having used it. After almost every thunderstorm we loose power at our cabin due to trees taking down power lines. Power company usually gets it back in about 3-4 hours. I fire up the little Honda, run a 50 ft HD extension cord to it and power up the fridge, freezer, fan, some lights, and Dish TV box &TV.

The 5500w/240v purpose is to power the 240v well pump in long outages.
The Westinghouse will be used to power the RV in long outages
The Honda’s for almost everything else since they are lightweight, and easy to maneuver.

 

[John Gayewski]

Does the local utility turn the gas off everywhere in the event of a storm like that? I've never had an experience like these.

If you could hook the geny to your nat has that would be ideal.

 

[Jeff H Young]

If you could hook the geny to your nat has that would be ideal.[/QUOTE]
It is safer than gasoline but you still have CO.
certainly is a chance that gas can be shutdown
My sister was 2weeks in Miami without power . last year or year before.
gas cans , finding a station kind of a hassle.
When visiting the East people tell me how they would never live in CA because of earth quakes Ha Ha.

 

[Terry]

Carbon Monoxide, I had a bad furnace in one home, had no idea why we were getting headaches. Then realized the heat exchanger had cracks. We installed a new furnace and we all felt so much better.

 

[WorthFlorida]

Carbon Monoxide, I had a bad furnace in one home, had no idea why we were getting headaches. Then realized the heat exchanger had cracks. We installed a new furnace and we all felt so much better.

Fire departments want to require CO detectors in all homes but most local politicians just don't seem to get it. One problem is a CO sensor is only good for a few years, then it must be replaced. Kidde Smoke and CO alarms are now good for ten years, CO only battery operated is good for seven years. If I had gas or oil heat I would place it somewhere outside the furnace room or on the wall of the staircase leading to the basement.

 

[Terry]

On my refinance of my current home, CO detectors were required. They are a very good idea and every home heated with NG, LP or oil should have them.
Every hardware store carries them, and very easy to install.

 

[WorthFlorida]

Does the local utility turn the gas off everywhere in the event of a storm like that? I've never had an experience like these. If you could hook the geny to your nat has that would be ideal.

No, not usually. If gas it turned off because of a pipe rupture or major leak, then the gas company has to go to every business and residence of the affected area relighting pilot lights. If I had natural gas line on our street I would install a Kohler whole house generator connected to the gas supply. Right now I have 4 - 5 gallon gas cans full, sitting outside in the event of a hurricane. It should last me about a week if needed that long. By the end of October I use the gas with system saver for my truck.