Can an Electric Fireplace Cause Carbon Monoxide?

As a homeowner, the accumulation of dangerous levels of carbon monoxide may be one of your biggest fears. The danger can be serious. Large amounts of poisonous gas can cause death, brain damage, and other severe symptoms. Luckily, there are things that you can do to avoid becoming a victim of carbon monoxide. You can install a proper alarm system in your home, ensure that your fireplace and furnace is set up properly, and choose an electric fireplace instead of one that uses combustion.

This guide will tell you everything that you need to know about the best electric fireplaces and carbon monoxide, and it’s good news. Electric fireplaces will not emit carbon monoxide under any circumstances. However, there’s more that you’ll learn. 

In this post, you will learn:

• The difference between carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide
• Ways to detect dangerous amounts of CO (carbon monoxide) in your home
• What to do if you find that life-threatening levels of the gas have built up
• Why the answer to the question of “Can an electric fireplace cause carbon monoxide?” is always no.
• Why you should use carbon monoxide detectors
• Why electric fireplaces are even safer than natural gas-burning products
• Ways that you can detect this silent killer
• The prevalence of poisoning from the gas
• The importance of getting fresh air if you suspect that you have been exposed to the gas
• The importance of cleaning your chimney and removing creosote if you use a traditional fireplace
• Why MagikFlame offers the best electric fireplace models to choose
• What you can expect to find in MagikFlame reviews
• What you can expect to see in our photo idea gallery
• How MagikFlame is built
• The MagikFlame story
• Proper venting of the toxic gas from a real fire
• Why there is no damper on our products
• Information on the payment plans and financing that we offer
• A comprehensive discussion of the reasons why you should choose an electric fireplace over traditional fireplaces

What Is Carbon Dioxide?

This gas is completely different from CO. First off, it has an entirely different atomic structure. Its molecular formula is CO2 (a carbon atom and two oxygen atoms), but the molecular formula of the poisonous gas CO is simply a carbon atom and an oxygen atom. Not only that, but CO2 is exhaled by animals. However, CO is not produced unless there is combustion. It is not created by any living organism.

What Are The Risks Of This Dangerous Gas?

If you are exposed to it for long enough in high doses, it can kill. Furthermore, serious exposures can result in brain damage and other permanent consequences. The fact that it is invisible and completely odorless makes it a silent killer. While it is a component of smoke, it can build up in your home without a visible buildup of smoky vapors or even the odor of smoke.

Furthermore, the initial symptoms of exposure to the chemical are often vague. In fact, they can masquerade as ordinary fatigue or a minor illness. However, they can progress suddenly and rapidly, which can lead to death and severe, permanent effects. Also, poisoning from the gas is common throughout the world, especially in regions where the use of combustion stoves is commonplace. Here’s how prevalent it is per week:

• Rates are highest among males who are over 65, and the prevalence is around 0.42 per 100,000 people in this age group. The rate is approximately 0.18 per 100,000 for females in this age range.
• The average rate for males is 0.22 per 100,000 and 0.07 for females.
• The rate among males under 25 is 0.08 per 100,000 and 0.04 per 100,000 for females in this age range.

What Are Some Other Important Things To Know About The Danger Posed By CO And How To Mitigate It?

• If the levels have built up high enough, it’s possible for this compound to suddenly cause death. One example of a common scenario that can lead to this is if a furnace is malfunctioning and someone goes into the basement to check it. Therefore, if you have a suspicion that the gas is building up in your home, it’s important to make sure that you stay far away from the source and go outside immediately.
• You do not always need a large open flame to generate CO. In fact, it can be created in many stoves, which do not use a large open flame. The small open flame on a stove can sometimes be more than enough to create a buildup of CO. Furthermore, wood-burning stoves with a small fire can generate sizable amounts of gas.
• The gas will need a way into the living space in order to cause problems. Some common examples of situations where you might have issues are if there’s a leak in the pipe that directs smoke out the chimney, you have a furnace that is improperly vented, and other situations where the flame’s ventilation is less than ideal. This can occur if you do not properly maintain and clean your chimney.
• Electric furnaces that do not use any form of flammable materials do not present a CO risk. In this sense, the situation is similar to electric fireplaces.
• CO can cause symptoms that are very slow in terms of onset. If levels are dangerous but at the low end of the hazardous territory, the symptoms often manifest as mere fatigue and escalate over the course of hours. As time goes on, levels of the toxin build up in the individual’s body, which can lead to unconsciousness and even death.
• Headaches, dizziness, and nausea are all common symptoms
• If you develop carbon monoxide poisoning, paramedics and doctors may need to administer supplemental oxygen to prevent asphyxiation.
• If you get an electric fireplace, CO is not a concern, but it’s important to check for safety features on any wood-burning stove or gas-burning fireplace. Wood-burning fireplaces and gas fireplaces (propane and natural gas flames) can quickly produce carbon monoxide in dangerous amounts if it has a way of making it into your home.
• If there are glass doors on your fireplace, it’s best to close them while the fire is burning.

What Type Of Appliance Subjects Owners To The Highest Risk Of Carbon Monoxide?

The level of emissions of the gas varies considerably from one appliance to another, and the most important thing for homeowners to know is that the culprit tends to be incomplete combustion. This is true whether the gas is building up from flames in a firebox, stove, furnace, or any other appliance. Here are a few of the appliances that are most commonly associated with the production of this gas:

• Gas Stoves: These appliances can generate dangerous levels of CO if you keep them on simmer for a long period of time. While the flame is not intense, the gas will be produced in sizable amounts if the combustion is incomplete. Not only can this be hazardous to the individual(s) cooking and others located in the kitchen, but it can even build up enough to impact all residents of the home.
• Fireplaces That Use Combustion: If you are still wondering, “Can an electric fireplace cause carbon monoxide?” the answer is absolutely not. However, that does not mean that a conventional fireplace that burns wood, gases, or anything else is not a potential risk. A leak in the chimney or the pipes leading to it can cause dangerous levels of CO to build up in your house, and all it takes is a small hole.
• Furnaces That Burn Oil Or Gas: If your furnace burns oil, gas, kerosene, or anything else, the combustion could be incomplete. This may lead to gas building up in your home.
• Water Heaters: These devices are designed to heat water up in your home, which can allow you to enjoy a shower that’s nice and warm. However, oil or gas versions of them can generate CO, which can potentially build up in your home. This occurs as a result of combustion that’s incomplete, which is the same issue with a wood stove, kitchen stove, or furnace that generates CO.

Where Does It Come From?

There are many different potential sources of gas, and all of them originate from combustion. However, these are a few of the most common sources of it in homes and businesses:

Appliances That Produce Combustion And Furnaces

While furnaces and fireplaces are two of the most common sources of gas, they are not the only ones that are often found in homes and businesses. In fact, gas stoves can produce CO as well. That’s because they use combustion to generate heat.

One of the most important things that you need to do to prevent this from happening is to ensure that any devices in your home that use combustion have been properly set up. This will help to ensure that leaks do not develop. Here are a few things that you need to keep in mind to identify potential sources of CO in your home:

• Know how to check the appliances in your home that could emit gas.
• If you feel unusual or unexplained symptoms that may be related to CO, make sure that you leave the house immediately and evaluate the situation.
• If you find that you feel unexpectedly and unusually weak for no reason, it could be a sign of CO poisoning.
• It’s especially important to be on the lookout for CO poisoning symptoms if you have appliances in your home that use combustion and you do not have a CO alarm yet.

How Can You Identify It?

Make sure that you set up fire alarms that are also equipped with carbon monoxide detection. This will help to ensure that an alarm goes off immediately if dangerous levels of gas build up in your home. Therefore, you will be able to evacuate your home at the first signs of danger. If you do not have an alarm, it will often be impossible to detect dangerous levels of gas building up. This can result in the development of poisoning symptoms and even death.

However, there are other potential signs that you may be in danger as a result of the poisonous gas. Here are a few of the most important warning signs that you should be on the lookout for:

• Regularly check pipes that vent smoke out of your house for holes. This will help to ensure that leaks do not go undetected for a long enough period of time for dangerous levels of the gas to accumulate.
• If you notice unusual symptoms or do not feel right, take it seriously.
• If your alarm goes off, do not ignore it or assume that it’s malfunctioning.

How Can You Prevent This Dangerous Gas From Accumulating?

One of the most important parts of preventing this gas from building up in your home is ensuring that all of your appliances that use combustion are properly set up. This will help to ensure that the gas cannot enter your environment, which will play a crucial role in keeping it out of your living space. Furthermore, it is essential to immediately repair a malfunctioning device that may put you at risk of exposure. Here are a few tips that may help you:

• If you find that a furnace or fireplace has leaks in the exhaust pipe, it’s important to repair them right away. They could potentially allow the gas into your home, which could result in a dangerous accumulation of CO.
• Make sure that you properly vent your fireplace when you are using it to ensure that smoke is able to leave your home completely.
• Always ensure that you regularly get your chimney cleaned and your furnace serviced at recommended intervals to ensure that CO leaks are not likely.
• Consider heating systems that do not present a risk of CO building up, such as electric furnaces and electric fireplaces. The flames can be very realistic, which you will see if you browse the flame gallery on our website. Electric space heaters can also be a great way to provide heat in a specific room without any CO risk. However, our 5,200 BTU fireplaces are much more powerful than a vast majority of space heaters.
• You can get the same ambiance as a genuine fire with the high-quality infrared electric fireplace inserts that we offer.
• If you choose one of our electric fireplaces, you will not have to worry about properly adjusting the flue, which you will with a gas fireplace or any other product that uses combustion. This is one major aspect of fireplace safety that you will not need to be worried about if you choose our products, and this is one of many reasons why you will not need to spend as much worrying about this byproduct of combustion that’s incomplete if you choose MagikFlame.
• You may be wondering, “Can an electric fireplace cause carbon monoxide if it used to be a gas or wood stove?”, and the answer to that question is no. As long as no combustion is currently being used, the answer to the question of “Can an electric fireplace cause carbon monoxide?” will always be no.

Why You Should Consider A Fireplace That’s Made By MagikFlame

If you are looking for electric fireplaces, MagikFlame is the best company to choose from. Not only do we make products of exceptionally high quality, but you can count on us to offer affordable prices and excellent customer service. Here are a few of the many reasons why MagikFlame is a better choice than any other electric fireplace manufacturer:

1. We Offer An Exceptionally Large Number Of Flame Effect Settings

One thing that makes our products stand out is that we offer 30 different flame settings! This ensures that you can get the right look for your living room or den, and it even allows you to simulate wood flames, gas flames, and even brush fires. Furthermore, it is easy to change the setting using the control panel on or remote on our products.

2. Our Fireplace Insert Will Be Exceptionally Realistic

One thing that sets our products apart is the fact that we offer a holographic flame. This is different than most of our competitors. In fact, it can even offer a better flame appearance than a gas fireplace, which is unique when compared to other products that use electricity alone.

Furthermore, it’s possible to get an electric fireplace that’s mounted to the wall. Therefore, you will not necessarily need an extension cord for it. Also, the blower on our products is designed to ensure that heated air can circulate throughout your home.

MagikFlame Has Been Offering Exceptional Products For Years

The MagikFlame story is unique in that our products have been offered for years. Furthermore, we always make sure that every one of the fireplaces we offer uses the highest quality materials available. This helps to ensure that you’ll be able to enjoy them for many years to come. Furthermore, the thermostat and other settings are easy to adjust. We also offer highly realistic crackling log sounds. The fact that they do not use combustible materials is just one more reason to choose our products over the competition!

Has This MagikFlame Electric Fireplace Buying Guide Made You Interested In Our Products?

If you are interested in anything that we offer, feel free to give us a call. Our customer support staff will be happy to answer your call. Furthermore, you can rest assured that the answer to the question of “Can an electric fireplace cause carbon monoxide?” will always be no. That’s because there’s no combustion, and that means there will be no incomplete combustion. So, give us a call or contact us online today if you are interested in what we offer!