ᐅ Risk of Carbon Monoxide from Pellets (Storage and Combustion Area) in Living Spaces?

I am currently looking into pellet heating systems and came across the risk of carbon monoxide. It is clear that carbon monoxide can form in the pellet storage area and the burner room. In this context, I found some articles stating that carbon monoxide can even diffuse through ceilings and walls. Now the problem, or rather my question, is this:

Is an apartment on the ground floor, located directly above the fairly large pellet storage and burner room in the basement, at risk from carbon monoxide?

By the way, this is a multi-family house, which explains the need for a very large pellet storage.

Would you ask this question about a gas heating system as well?
A leak in the chimney can also release CO in that case.
Therefore, I would advise everyone to install a CO detector in their home or in the affected room, because yes: CO can also diffuse through walls.

Best regards in brief

Khullx1 schrieb:
Is the apartment on the ground floor, which is located directly above the fairly large pellet storage and burner room in the basement, at risk of carbon monoxide exposure?

Normally, no. Proper ventilation must be ensured. The chimney sweep can advise you.

ypg schrieb:
Would you also ask this question about a gas heating system?
A leak in the chimney can cause CO to escape there as well.
Therefore, I would advise everyone to install a CO detector in their space or in the affected room, because yes: CO can also diffuse through walls.

Brief regards

Of course, I would ask the same. But as far as I have read, a gas burner shuts off if the combustion is not optimal, specifically to prevent CO. I have not been able to find out whether pellet burners have a similar shut-off feature. You cannot “shut off” anything in the pellet storage, where the CO is generated. It is clear that nowadays pellet storage must be well ventilated to avoid a risk from CO. However, that always sounds rather vague to me—more like “then it’s less of a problem.” The articles about CO usually mention slow, chronic CO poisoning from small amounts. That is why I feel uncertain and ask how it is with living spaces above the storage and heating systems.

Even if the pellet storage is ventilated, a CO problem can obviously still occur. If the CO can then pass through the ceiling into the living areas above, that is certainly not insignificant.

Should a CO alarm be installed in every room? Because the storage and burner room are really located beneath most of the dwelling.

There is the heating regulation that requires ventilation openings, as well as exhaust gas measurements carried out by the chimney sweep. There are limit values for the amount of CO that is allowed to be produced. Why does CO form in the pellet storage area, since nothing is burning there?