Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Big Mac]

I have a small office at the back of my English classroom with no heat. I complained about how cold it was until they went out and bought me a heater.

I would have been happy with a little electric space heater from Lotte Mart. But they spent 600,000 Won on a giant heater that is powered by some kind of fuel (I'm not sure exactly what fuel it is, but it is clear in colour).

I'm very happy to have heat. The problem is that fuel-powered heaters give off carbon monoxide fumes that are extremely unhealthy and could actually kill you. Today I was dizzy from the fumes coming from the thing.

I've seen this style of heater all over Korea and I've always been surprised that they are able to use them indoors without killing themselves. However, now that I have one next to me all day I'm worried about what it's going to do to my health.

I tried opening the windows to let some of the fumes out, but it doesn't help much and, of course, it just defeats the idea of a heater.

I don't know what to do about it. I'm sure they'd be baffled if I complained, because they figure they went the extra mile to get me a cadillac heater.

I find it so funny that Koreans are scared of electric fans, but don't seem to think that carbon monoxide fumes are a problem.

[GoldMember]

The heater you mentioned burns Kerosene and yea it creates a huge amount of carbon monoxide. Heaters that burn any type of fuel need to be flued.
I worked once in an office that used a Kerosene heater. EVERYONE was coughing, spluttering and falling asleep, and they couldn't figure out why.

Everyone there had excellent English so I downloaded some info about Kero heaters and carbon monoxide poisoning and put a copy on everyone's desk.
I used to turn down the heater and open the windows, the Koreans would turn it up and close the windows.

All the staff were University educated, well Korean University educated, for whatever that's worth. I would ask, so what part of carbon dioxide poisoning don't you understand? All I'd get were blank stares and huh!

One day they ran out of Kero, no problem just turn on the carbon monoxide free central heating! Next day the kero heating was back.
Why poison everyone with the Kersone heater-because it's like a buck a day cheaper-Cheap bastards!

I quit, rather than be poisoned. But why are you quitting. Coz you idiots are poisoning me with Carbon Monoxide!. Huh what poison, what carbon monoxide!, crazy foreigner.

[ajuma]

Hmmm....could heater-death be next??

At least that would be something real!!

[sojourner1]

One school I teach in got one of those 3 weeks ago in their office, but they flu piped it and had a hold cut in the wall for the pipe to exit outside. It's cozy in there, but they didn't make an effort to fix the broken heat in one classroom so I told the principal about it today. It's chilly willy outside right now. Brrrrrr.

[Big Mac]

Maybe I will ask them to flu pipe it then. I wonder if they will think I am crazy?

[cruisemonkey]

[bassexpander]

If you set the wick properly, and keep the wick clean, they don't have as many issues with smells and the carbon monoxide. Yes, you should air out the house more often. If they truly were that "bad' then they wouldn't be allowed on the market.

Man, if I had a dollar for every person from England or Australia who freaked-out over every little thing...

OMG... you're going to die of carbon monoxide!
OMG... don't declaw your cats... it's horribly inhumane!
OMG... don't brush your teeth with flouride toothpaste... you're get cancer!

Some people on here are total nutters about these things, and it cracks me up.

[cruisemonkey]

In my old school I always 'cracked' open a window when using a kerosene heater. The following is from the National Agricultural Safety Data Base (U.S.) -

Although portable kerosene heaters are very efficient in the burning of fuel to produce heat, low levels of certain pollutants such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide are produced. Exposure to low levels of these pollutants may be harmful, especially to individuals with chronic respiratory or circulatory health problems.

To assure you are not exposed to significant levels of these pollutants, you should follow carefully the following rules of safe operation:

Operate your heater in a room with a door open to the rest of the house.
If you must operate your heater in a room with the door closed to the rest of the house, open an outside window approximately an inch to permit fresh air to effectively dilute the pollutants below a level of concern.

Always operate your heater according to the manufacturer:s instructions, making sure that the wick is set at the proper level as instructed by the manufacturer.

Keep the wick in your heater clean and in good operating condition by following the cleaning and maintenance procedures recommended by the manufacturer.

Cruisemonkey's rule of thumb -
Keep an outside window opened approximately one square inch for every 1000 BTUs the heater is rated to ensure adequate fresh air infiltration.

[buymybook]

Have you been feeling disoriented recently? Be careful you might fall down and then be unable to get back up.

The causes of your dizziness could be due to the following...
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dizziness/DS00435/DSECTION=causes

[Seoul'n'Corea]