As cooler weather approaches, now is a good time to begin thinking about your home’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 harmful gas that’s colorless, odorless and tasteless. It’s a result of combustion your gas furnace depends on to add warmth to your residence. When your heating is running like it’s supposed to, the gas is securely moved outside of your home. Breaks in your furnace’s heat exchanger or flue pipes can cause carbon monoxide to appear into your house, where long-term exposure can be fatal.
Regardless of the fact carbon monoxide poisoning is avoidable, the CDC says at least 430 people in the U.S. are killed by it each year. And another approximately 50,000 people go to the emergency room because of related ailments, including headaches, dizziness and vomiting.
The best ways you can help your loved ones is by organizing yearly maintenance of all gas, oil, or wood burning appliances, like your furnace and water heater, and installing a carbon monoxide detector. From plug-in to smart carbon monoxide detectors, there’s a solution out there that fits for your home and budget.
Smart Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Smart carbon monoxide detectors, including the Nest carbon monoxide detector, make it simple to keep on top of keeping your loved ones safe. They’re usually offered as dual-purpose carbon monoxide and smoke detectors and can typically be linked with other smart home devices via Wi-Fi.
Here are a few other advantages of having them in your residence:
- Alerts you that there’s an issue through voice notifications, as well as alerts on your phone.
- Locates the problem spot, such as the kitchen or basement.
- Can be shut off from your phone.
- Automatically reviews its sensors and batteries and reveals findings through a full report on your phone.
- Alerts you of low batteries with an alert on your phone, not an annoying chirp in the middle of the night.
- Lasts up to 10 years, depending on the type.
The only downside of getting Wi-Fi carbon monoxide detectors is the price tag. These detectors are typically much more expensive than their plug-in or battery-powered counterparts. But they also offer many beneficial and worthy features you can’t find in a non-smart device.
When you’re installing a new device, it’s vital to learn where to attach carbon monoxide detectors. The Environmental Protection Agency suggests placing a carbon monoxide detector at least five feet above the floor or on the ceiling. This is because carbon monoxide can rise with heated air.
We recommend having a detector on each floor of your house, including outside bedrooms. You’ll want to make 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 economical. 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 usually have a digital display and test button, which you’ll have to remember to use.
The National Fire Protection Association recommends testing hardwired carbon monoxide alarms each month. Battery-powered detectors that don’t plug in should be tested once a week. If you’re wondering how to test for carbon monoxide, it’s more or less easy. Depress the button to make sure your detector is running.
If your detector is hardwired, make sure to swap the backup battery at least every year. If it’s battery-powered, you’ll want to replace it once a month to avoid the annoying chirp in the middle of the night.
If you’re noticing a chirp or your carbon monoxide detector is beeping intermittently, it generally signals it has a low battery. Or, it’s approaching the end of its life. How long carbon monoxide detectors run depends on the brand you use. Most often, it’s approximately 5–10 years, but make sure to check instructions from your device’s manufacturer.
If you’re wondering why your carbon monoxide detector is beeping, it’s frequently due to the fact it’s sensing hazardous concentration of carbon monoxide. If your carbon monoxide detector is going off with constant, loud beeping, leave your house right away and contact 911.
Now is a great time to make sure your carbon monoxide detector is functioning as it should before heating season begins. If you need to set up furnace maintenance or you’re interested in upgrading to smart carbon monoxide detectors, the Experts at Kingston Home Services by Enercare can help. Get in touch with us at 613-817-1591 today and we’ll help you select the best carbon monoxide detector for your house.