As fall gets closer, now is a great time to start thinking about your residence’s carbon monoxide detectors. When heating season starts, the Centers for Disease Control says the potential of carbon monoxide poisoning increases.
Carbon monoxide is a hazardous gas that’s colorless, odorless and tasteless. It’s a result of combustion your gas furnace relies on to warm your house. When your furnace is operating like it’s supposed to, the gas is securely pushed outside of your house. Fractures in your furnace’s heat exchanger or flue pipes can cause carbon monoxide to leak into your residence, where prolonged exposure can be deadly.
Regardless of the fact carbon monoxide poisoning is avoidable, the CDC says at least 430 people in the U.S. die because of it each year. And another approximately 50,000 people go to the hospital because of related symptoms, such as headaches, dizziness and vomiting.
The best ways you can protect your family is by setting up yearly maintenance of all gas, oil, or wood burning appliances, such as your furnace and water heater, and getting a carbon monoxide detector. From plug-in to smart carbon monoxide detectors, there’s a solution available to work for your home and budget.
Smart Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Smart carbon monoxide detectors, including the Nest carbon monoxide detector, make it effortless to keep on top of keeping your family safe. They’re frequently available as combined carbon monoxide and smoke detectors and can usually be used with other smart home devices via Wi-Fi.
Here are a few other perks of installing them in your home:
- Signals that there’s trouble through voice notifications, as well as alerts on your phone.
- Reveals the problem room, such as the kitchen or basement.
- Can be silenced from your phone.
- Automatically checks its sensors and batteries and reveals findings through a comprehensive report on your phone.
- Notifies you of dying batteries with an alert on your phone, not a screeching chirp in the middle of the night.
- Lasts up to 10 years, depending on the brand.
The only problem with installing Wi-Fi carbon monoxide detectors is the expense. These detectors are typically much pricier than their plug-in or battery-powered counterparts. But they also provide many helpful and important features you can’t receive in a non-smart device.
When you’re installing a new device, it’s important to know where to attach carbon monoxide detectors. The Environmental Protection Agency suggests placing a carbon monoxide detector around five feet above the floor or on the ceiling. This is since carbon monoxide can rise with warm air.
We encourage installing a detector on each floor of your home, including outside bedrooms. You’ll want to make sure the noise will wake you up.
Battery-Powered and Plug-In Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Plug-in and battery-powered carbon monoxide detectors are the most reasonable. A couple of the most popular styles are Kidde carbon monoxide detectors and First Alert carbon monoxide detectors.
But they also have restricted features that don’t link with your phone or smart home devices. They tend to have a digital display and test button, which you’ll have to remember to use.
The National Fire Protection Association suggests testing hardwired carbon monoxide alarms each month. Battery-powered detectors that don’t plug in should be tested weekly. If you’re unsure how to test for carbon monoxide, it’s pretty easy. Use the button to ensure your detector is functioning.
If your detector is hardwired, make sure to replace the backup battery at least once a year. If it’s battery-powered, you’ll want to replace it once a month to bypass the annoying chirp in the middle of the night.
If you’re getting a chirp or your carbon monoxide detector is beeping more frequently, it usually means it has a low battery. Or, it’s approaching the end of its life. How long carbon monoxide detectors work depends on the brand you own. Typically, it’s between 5–10 years, but make sure to review instructions from your device’s manufacturer.
If you’re confused about why your carbon monoxide detector is beeping, it’s usually due to the fact it’s sensing hazardous amounts of carbon monoxide. If your carbon monoxide detector is going off with continuous, loud beeping, leave your home right away and contact 911.
Now is a great time to ensure your carbon monoxide detector is functioning normally before heating season arrives. If you need to set up furnace maintenance or you’re interested in upgrading to smart carbon monoxide detectors, the Experts at All American Air Service Experts can help. Reach us at 386-310-2061 today and we’ll help you pick the best carbon monoxide detector for your home.