Was she crazy? Or slowly being poisoned? Another Home Mystery!

She didn't complain of headaches or any other of the more common carbon monoxide poisioning symptoms. She was just crazy. She acted like she'd a few too many, but it was too early in the day for that.

I almost dismissed her as another loopy homeowner until I saw the gray stains on the cabinets and the cookware in the pantry. That was my first hint... 

Then, in the cabinet below, the black color on the under side of the pantry shelf was another hint. 

And here's the culprit... a flue hood that doesn't quite fit over the exhaust opening atop the water heater.  

It's enough to exhaust CO into the house. Wow!  It's enough to make someone loopy!

Did she have a working CO detector?  NO!

Did she have a working smoke detector? "Of course," she said. "What idiot wouldn't have a smoke detector?"

Of course, as I found out a few minutes later, it really should have batteries in it to be effective!

Be safe at home!

Tom Sinclair

About the House - Home Inspectors

Fairhope, Alabama

(251) 990-3169

www.InspectTestAnalyze.com

Reminder:  The end of Daylight Saving Time approaches. A good time to change (not just check) your smoke detector batteries!