Carbon dioxide 31,000 ppm in a sump pit

[Guest guest]

Colleagues:

I recently investigated a water problem in a vacant home and was measuring

the RH with a KD 451 when I noticed that the carbon dioxide concentration in

the basement was 2,700 ppm (compared to 361 ppm outdoors).

There was minor spillage from a boiler pilot light but the concentration in

the (dry) sump pump pit was 31,000 ppm.

I am aware of the CDC-MMWR Dec. 2003 report of high carbon dioxide in a West

VA home, but this was due to air from an abandoned coal mine. This home is

in the Boston area.

I have never measured carbon dioxide in a sump pit and do not know how

typical this or what to advise the client (though a subslab depressurization

system would no doubt solve the problem).

I generally see higher summer readings of carbon dioxide in basements (about

700 ppm) but I am not sure why this is either. Can anyone shed some light

on this situation?

There was no odor of sewer gas and the property is on city sewer.

C. May, M.A., CIAQP

May Indoor Air Investigations LLC

1522 Cambridge Street

Cambridge, MA 02139

www.mayindoorair.com

www.myhouseiskillingme.com

[Guest guest]

We use a CO2 meter on occasion to locate a dead animal or a break in a

sewer waste line by sticking a suction tube into a wall or ceiling

cavity and drawing the cavity air across a NDIR CO2 detector. The closer

you get the higher the reading gets. Biodegradation creates CO2, though

I have never seen readings of 31,000, we have gotten readings of 2,000

to 5,000 when pulling air through an 1/8 tube across the NDIR detector.

Another thought is what is your sensor technology and what are the

interferences that could shoot one up that high. I know we can get high

CO readings with one of our CO detectors with ripening fruit (ethylene)

near by on a counter and another sensor we have, sewer gas can put the

CO reading to 500 PPM!

Ron

www.themoldmanual.com

B. , PE

Engineering Corporation

880 Jupiter Park Drive, Suite 5

Jupiter, Florida 33458

Work-

Fax-

Cell

www.hurricanehideaway.com

Carbon dioxide 31,000 ppm in a sump pit

Colleagues:

I recently investigated a water problem in a vacant home and was

measuring

the RH with a KD 451 when I noticed that the carbon dioxide

concentration in

the basement was 2,700 ppm (compared to 361 ppm outdoors).

There was minor spillage from a boiler pilot light but the concentration

in

the (dry) sump pump pit was 31,000 ppm.

I am aware of the CDC-MMWR Dec. 2003 report of high carbon dioxide in a

West

VA home, but this was due to air from an abandoned coal mine. This home

is

in the Boston area.

I have never measured carbon dioxide in a sump pit and do not know how

typical this or what to advise the client (though a subslab

depressurization

system would no doubt solve the problem).

I generally see higher summer readings of carbon dioxide in basements

(about

700 ppm) but I am not sure why this is either. Can anyone shed some

light

on this situation?

There was no odor of sewer gas and the property is on city sewer.

C. May, M.A., CIAQP

May Indoor Air Investigations LLC

1522 Cambridge Street

Cambridge, MA 02139

www.mayindoorair.com

www.myhouseiskillingme.com

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