Are fumes from van in garage, dangerous?

[ruff]

Been cleaning with my Hydra Master Cds in apartment buildings garages for many years. The van's engine is on while I clean. Never a problem.

Though the voice in the back of my head always wonders:

• Could it activate the smoke detectors?
• Does it pose a danger?
• Should I be worried?

I'm not talking about being in the garage of a small house. What do you guys do?
Any danger or other issues?

 

[KevinL]

It's killed more than a few carpet cleaners.

 

[trojancarpetcare]

Can do some damage over time if someone is just sitting in a small parking garage

 

[ruff]

Most apartment building garages have openings for fresh air and are ventilated.
Not talking about small, home garages.

 

[Goomer]

Most apartment building garages have openings for fresh air and are ventilated.
Not talking about small, home garages.

.

All depends on how efficiently the air is being exchanged in a particular structure, on that particular day. I would think it would vary greatly depending on the weather, the size of the garage, and if the design of the ventilation system is adequate in exchanging the air at an acceptable rate.

What are the building code standards for ventilation of such garages??

 

[dealtimeman]

Always a potential to be a dangerous liability.

 

[Shane T]

I used to clean from a basement parking garage, they had an overide switch I could turn on and run the exhaust fan continuously. The actual time the truck ran was quite short. It worked but I was never comfortable with it.

 

[John Olson]

Been cleaning with my Hydra Master Cds in apartment buildings garages for many years. The van's engine is on while I clean. Never a problem.

Though the voice in the back of my head always wonders:

• Could it activate the smoke detectors?
• Does it pose a danger?
• Should I be worried?

I'm not talking about being in the garage of a small house. What do you guys do?
Any danger or other issues?

Carbon monoxide is deadly. It just killed my friend. Granted he locked his shop doors but it killed him just the same. Now will it harm you the way you described? The answer is maybe. If your exhaust is pointed/near the entry door and the wind is blowing just right you might find yourself feeling tired/sleepy/fatigued. It wont be because you have had a long day, your about to take a very long permanent nap. I would suggest that you carry a CM detector with you if this is a comman practice/worry. They are really cheap life insurance.

 

[J Scott W]

If you have any doubts about the ventilation, use one or more air movers to improve the ventilation and direct it away from entry to the occupied area. Get the portable CO detector that John mentioned. They cost $30 or less. Valuable insurance. Don't take risks with something that can kill you without you even realizing it.

 

[Willy P]

 

[FB7777]

Parking garages are adequately ventilated around here, i wouldnt operate a PTO in a parking garage below grade and rely on exhaust fans tho

Scott W has a great idea to have a mover forcing air out the door... Also hooking up a CO deyector near the door is a good plan

I have several places we run our TMs is garages for hours

 

[glenboy]

i worked for a friend back in the early 90s and we ran 3 in a van sometimes and on 2 room jobs 1 guy would sit in the van at the bosses request.we ran century TMs with vangard 14 hp.i swear after sitting in the van with that machine running it felt like i was at the dentist getting the gas mask and i or the other guy would fall fast asleep.then my buddy (the boss) would come out and get all huffy puffy because we were sleepin and the neighbors could see that.so i wore sunglasses ,to call his shit.the point i believe we were being POISONED

 

[Larry B]

On top of the health risks from exhaust you also increase your risk of burning the place down when running the van/machine inside a parking structure.

 

[carpetcleaner]

Some buildings around here have the air intake for the building's HVAC near the parking structure. It seems like a really bad design flaw, but they are set up that way. It could be possible to pump exhaust into the building.

 

[SamIam]

First truck mount on a trailer did my sister inlaws house put it in her garage went to work 2 room in I was getting dizzy it hits me! I'm killing myself Doah opened windows garage and finished cough cough

 

[D Rice]

I don't think the CO detector is enough protection. If your in apartment building there are other occupants in the building. Do they have CO detectors? I think this is a big mistake unless someone stays with van and has a couple of air movers moving exhaust out of the building. I wonder if anyone has died in an apartment somewhere and they just called it natural causes?

 

[truckmount girl]

When I was cleaning I usually parked on the street, but had a house that was really far back from the road and rambling ranch style. In order to reach the whole house and not park on landscaping, I had to back into the carport. I didn't have a van-powered machine, I had a slide-in. I was about half done with the cleaning and had a slight headache when their Carbon Monoxide detector started going off. Even though the carport was open, the angle of the engine exhaust on the slide in just happened to get enough fumes inside the house to set off the alarm and give me a headache.

Bring a Carbon Monoxide detector and set it up in the area if you decide to try it.

Take care,
Lisa

 

[SamIam]

When I was cleaning I usually parked on the street, but had a house that was really far back from the road and rambling ranch style. In order to reach the whole house and not park on landscaping, I had to back into the carport. I didn't have a van-powered machine, I had a slide-in. I was about half done with the cleaning and had a slight headache when their Carbon Monoxide detector started going off. Even though the carport was open, the angle of the engine exhaust on the slide in just happened to get enough fumes inside the house to set off the alarm and give me a headache.

Bring a Carbon Monoxide detector and set it up in the area if you decide to try it.

Take care,
Lisa

Ya I do some townhomes with attached garages and parking outside with the machine exhaust facing the unit you can smell the exhaust. I open windows turn fans on and use a blower to air it out also partially closing the van doors pinching the hose can change the way the exhaust goes.

 

[ruff]

At the risk of repeating myself, and what the hack, why not?

Not talking about a small house, or a few apartment condo garages.

My question is about larger building garages.

Anybody here with actual knowledge about how they are being ventilated, and what will an operating vehicle fumes (say a few hours) do?

Can't be a total no no, as some of those buildings are right by major traffic and some have vehicles driving through continually.

 

[Able 1]

I'll clean in a big parking garages... In the couple I clean they have a big fan that kicks on when the exhaust hits the level of unsafe. The maintenance guy told me I was at a red level the whole time I cleaned last time,but we are in and out... No big deal! Beats running 250' of hose!

 

[Desk Jockey]

Ofer is it totally enclosed garage or open air on each level? We've cleaned on those that are open with fresh air that passes through and never thought anything about it. Enclosed? We never have and we were forced to I might run and extra section or two from the entry plus do as mentioned with the monitor and fan. Hell if it's my life I'd buy a high dollar monitor......but I guess its only you....so yea that cheap monitor should be good enough.

 

[mcatt]

What I do is try to point my exhaust towards a fresh air exit and I do use CO detectors as well. If enclosed garage I would not do and instead use a portable or bonnet/ encap

 

[Shane T]

If I were going to be running in a parking garage for a few hours as you say I would consider getting some exhaust hose, attach it to the tailpipe and run it close to the exhaust fan.

 

[Cleanworks]

The problem is not in the garage but in the building that you are working in. When you have the door open and your hoses going up the stairs, it can act as a chimney and the fumes can affect you in the hallways or in the suites. not a safe practice

 

[ruff]

Hell if it's my life I'd buy a high dollar monitor......but I guess its only you....so yea that cheap monitor should be good enough.

Is there a raffle in which I can I win one of Mike's 'chimps' as a canary in a mine substitute?
I've heard good things about them!

Considering all you bleeding heart liberals, will it be politically correct?

 

[Mikey P]

Is there a raffle in which I can I win one of Mike's 'chimps' as a canary in a mine substitute?
I've heard good things about them!

Considering all you bleeding heart liberals, will it be politically correct?

new kid takes the van home today to clean grandmas and his old bosses house, 2nd time on his own..



1st call- Water softener is leaking. (i tell him how to by pass it)

2nd call -engine wont stay on (take off the vac port cap)

3rd call - Mix tank is overflowing ( when he hooked up the softener hose he wiggled loos a lock nut causing the float to go too high.)



a lesson filled day for Bonzo.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Is there a raffle in which I can I win one of Mike's 'chimps' as a canary in a mine substitute?
I've heard good things about them!

Per James Ladwig there are only Flying Monkeys here.