As cooler weather approaches, now is a good time to begin thinking about your house’s carbon monoxide detectors. When heating season starts, the Centers for Disease Control says the likelihood of carbon monoxide poisoning builds.
Carbon monoxide is a hazardous gas that’s colorless, odorless and tasteless. It’s a result of combustion your gas furnace depends on to heat your residence. When your heating is operating as it should, the gas is correctly pushed outside of your home. Cracks in your furnace’s heat exchanger or flue pipes can cause carbon monoxide to seep into your residence, where prolonged exposure can be lethal.
Although carbon monoxide poisoning is escapable, the CDC says at least 430 people in the U.S. die from it annually. And another approximately 50,000 people go to the emergency room thanks to related issues, such as headaches, dizziness and vomiting.
The best ways you can safeguard your loved ones 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 on the market to work for your residence and budget.
Smart Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Smart carbon monoxide detectors, like the Nest carbon monoxide detector, make it simple to remain in control for keeping your home safe. They’re often offered as dual-purpose carbon monoxide and smoke detectors and can typically be used with other smart home devices via Wi-Fi.
Here are a few other advantages of having them in your house:
- Signals that there’s trouble through voice notifications, in addition to alerts on your phone.
- Points out the problem spot, such as the kitchen or basement.
- Can be silenced from your phone.
- Automatically reviews its sensors and batteries and shares findings through a useful report on your phone.
- Warns you of dead batteries with an alert on your phone, not an annoying noise in the middle of the night.
- Lasts up to 10 years, depending on the type.
The only issue with using Wi-Fi carbon monoxide detectors is the price. These detectors are often much more expensive than their plug-in or battery-powered counterparts. But they also offer many useful and valuable features you don’t get in a non-smart device.
When you’re getting a new device, it’s crucial to know where to put carbon monoxide detectors. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends placing a carbon monoxide detector approximately five feet above the floor or on the ceiling. This is since carbon monoxide can rise with warm air.
We advise installing a detector on each floor of your house, including outside bedrooms. You’ll want to be sure the beeping will wake you up.
Battery-Powered and Plug-In Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Plug-in and battery-powered carbon monoxide detectors are the most affordable. A few of the most popular types are Kidde carbon monoxide detectors and First Alert carbon monoxide detectors.
But they also have restricted features that don’t work 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 every month. Battery-powered detectors that don’t plug in need to be tested weekly. If you’re unsure how to test for carbon monoxide, it’s more or less easy. Press the button to be certain your detector is working.
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 change it once a month to avoid the dreaded chirp in the middle of the night.
If you’re hearing a chirp or your carbon monoxide detector is beeping more frequently, it often indicates it has a low battery. Or, it’s reaching the end of its life. How long carbon monoxide detectors run depends on the brand you have. In general, it’s around 5–10 years, but make sure to check instructions from your specific manufacturer.
If you’re wondering why your carbon monoxide detector is beeping, it’s often due to the fact it’s detected high concentration of carbon monoxide. If your carbon monoxide detector is going off with steady, loud beeping, leave your residence as quickly as possible and dial 911.
Now is an excellent time to confirm your carbon monoxide detector is running as it should before heating season arrives. If you need to schedule furnace maintenance or you’re interested in upgrading to smart carbon monoxide detectors, the Experts at Air Engineers Service Experts can help. Contact us at 904-450-5672 today and we’ll help you select the ideal carbon monoxide detector for your house.