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Gas heat with a person on oxygen

3K views 13 replies 11 participants last post by  bcr 
#1 ·
I have a vangard non vented 5 brick propane gas heater. My wife is now on oxygen bedridden most of the time with her bed about 6 feet from heater. We have not used this heat yet only small electric heaters with the mild weather we have had. I know that oxygen with an open flame will produce a hotter fire.

My question is what do those of you do for heat that have someone on oxygen in the home? I have not bought any gas yet nor paid tank rental due to wating to find out which direction I need to go. Should I buy some better more efficient electric heaters or will it be safe enough to use the gas heat I have? With the unvented heater, it will use up some of the oxygen in the air that she needs. Although this old drafty house is not anywhere near airtight.
 
#5 ·
Unlike the other assholes! ... Sorry to hear that.. Get a good electric blanket and some non slip slippers. This will help. Went through this with my Mom and there will be times nothing will warm her up except a good electric blanket. The slippers will help you be able to keep socks on her so she wont slip all over the place getting in and out of the bed as well.

Don't consider me an ass but if it's time start contacting the local hospice groups, they are a god send and even this tough guy needed them..

Prayers sent!
 
#7 ·
Man, that gas heater is going to use up some of the oxygen in the house and produce carbon monoxide! If she already has breathing problems, then that is all the more reason not to use it!
 
#9 ·
Sorry to hear of your troubles, my neighbor going through this with his wife right now.


If you have, or you know someone who has, any Innovate wide band device, LM-1, LM-2, LC-1 or MTX-L, you can use it connected to a laptop running LogWorks with a virtual gauge on the screen and measure the percentage of O2 in your house’s interior air. You free-air calibrate it outside in fresh air and carry it in the house, if the oxygen percentage is less than the 20.9% of the outside fresh air it will show it on the virtual gauge. The hassle is lugging the 12V battery; I have some small 12V gel batteries. I have done this with my LM-1 and learned the basement of the house has less O2, only about 20.5% after several people have been there at once. You can measure the reduction in O2 in the breath you exhale with an Innovate WB because they display the Oxygen percentage from 20.9% down to .5λ (7.4/1 AFR). If you hold your breath a while, most people are abut 40/1 AFR, if you been drinking, 30/1, LOL.

If you free-air calibrate a WBO2 in a room where there is a space heater running it throws the accuracy way off and makes them act erratic.

I guarantee you a non-vented propane heater in a garage will burn the air down to less than 19% O2 in a short time unless there is a source of fresh air into the room.
 
#10 ·
BCR, I don't think the first couple replies have a clue to what type of heater you are talking about. He's not talking about a shop heater.....like a torpedo. Here is what he's referring to:
http://www.vanguardheaters.com/
Radiant infrared heater

I have no idea if they are safe to use around a patient using oxygen, but its certainly not going to explode...as the others are implying. They ARE intended for heating your home
 
#14 ·
Most all the replys are what I was thinking. It has come time to renew the tank rental and buy some gas, so I was thinking of using this money to purchase some electric heaters. Main reason for considering the gas is #1, I already have it and #2, there are times that the power goes off here during ice storms etc for up to a week at a time. I do have small generators that I took to the track when I raced but they will only power a small heater. I am not going to chance the gas.

Thanks to the ones who expressed well wishes and I hope for the best with your loved ones.

Double s, thank you.
 
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