Worried sick about carbon monoxide from barbecue

[kira80]

This is my first post - I've been visiting this site and it has helped me a lot in the past, with my ever building health anxiety.

So we had a barbecue grill at my garden tonight, from about 5 in the afternoon to 7. We let the grill go out on its own in the yard, and I went inside home.

First I sat at my office from about 7 to 10.30. The charcoals had gone out on their own.

Then I moved to my living room for about two hours and the windows/doors were closed. I could smell the typical leftover BBQ smell and I don't know why but I didn't think to open the windows, until my eyes started hurting a little, so I opened the window and moved back to my office, where it didn't smell. Just to be on the safe side, although the charcoals were cold and not showing any signs of fire, I also dropped water in the grill.

Then the beautiful words "carbon monoxide" filled my mind and I started googling it, and read wonderful things, such as that even a cold barbecue grill still emits CO and it should remain outdoors. Well, it is outdoors, but a) the windows are very close to the yard, could this still enter the house? and b) what about the smoke I was breathing for 2 hours in the living room?!?! Could it have CO in it? I know it's odorless, but what if it was still in the not-so-odorless smoke?

I'm panicking big time and I'm thinking of not sleeping. It's 2.29 am here, and I'm still wondering whether I'll die in my sleep from CO poisoning.

Any rational thoughts would help a lot.
Thanks!

[Fishmanpa]

With respect, how can that happen with a fire that was outside and put out cause anything at all inside (besides a normal residual smoke smell)?

Positive thoughts

[kira80]

With respect, how can that happen with a fire that was outside and put out cause anything at all inside (besides a normal residual smoke smell)?

Positive thoughts

Yeah I know, but I'm thinking that the fire was still burning (although very low, almost extinguished) when I was smelling the BBQ smell inside the house, and could CO be carried like this?

God, even writing it I feel ridiculous, but you know how this anxiety thing is.

Also, I suppose that since the BBQ grill is outside, it can't bring CO inside the house, even if it's close, right?

(Jeez I'm so sorry for the stupidity)

[NoPoet]

Anxiety twists everything and creates a false sense of reality. I cannot imagine how much carbon monoxide the bbq would have to emit over a sustained period to poison you like this, your room would need to be hermetically sealed to prevent any from escaping (in which case how did it get in there?) and when you get to the dispersive effect of the wind, and the dilutive effect of the sheer volume of oxygen in the air... The maths fail me.

I'd say you're more likely to discover that you're next in line for the throne than be at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning :)

[glassgirlw]

If it helps....we regularly BBQ and our grill is literally two steps from back door. Windows all open, smoke wafting in house and around...have done it for years and I am still here. I would say you're safe ��