As autumn approaches, now is a great time to begin thinking about your house’s carbon monoxide detectors. When heating season begins, the Centers for Disease Control says the likelihood of carbon monoxide poisoning goes up.
Carbon monoxide is a dangerous gas that’s colorless, odorless and tasteless. It’s a result of combustion your gas furnace depends on to heat your home. When your heater is running properly, the gas is safely 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 escapable, the CDC says at least 430 people in the U.S. die because of it every year. And another approximately 50,000 people are transported to the ER thanks to related symptoms, like headaches, dizziness and vomiting.
The best ways you can protect your family is by setting up annual maintenance of all gas, oil, or wood burning appliances, including 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, such as the Nest carbon monoxide detector, make it straightforward to stay on top of keeping your loved ones safe. They’re usually 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 using them in your home:
- Alerts you that there’s something wrong through voice notifications, plus alerts on your phone.
- Points out the problem area, such as the kitchen or basement.
- Can be shut off from your phone.
- Automatically reviews its sensors and batteries and explains findings through a useful report on your phone.
- Informs you of low 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 brand.
The only problem with installing Wi-Fi carbon monoxide detectors is the expense. These detectors are sometimes much pricier than their plug-in or battery-powered counterparts. But they also include many useful and worthy features you don’t receive in a non-smart device.
When you’re buying a new device, it’s crucial to learn where to attach carbon monoxide detectors. The Environmental Protection Agency encourages putting 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 advise having a detector on each floor of your home, as well as outside bedrooms. You’ll want to be certain 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 couple of the most popular models are Kidde carbon monoxide detectors and First Alert carbon monoxide detectors.
But they also have fewer features that don’t link 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 urges testing hardwired carbon monoxide alarms once a month. Battery-powered detectors that don’t plug in need to be tested every week. If you’re concerned about how to test for carbon monoxide, it’s fairly simple. Press the button to be certain your detector is working.
If your detector is hardwired, make sure to replace the backup battery at least annually. If it’s battery-powered, you’ll want to swap it once a month to bypass the dreaded chirp in the middle of the night.
If you’re getting that sound or your carbon monoxide detector is beeping regularly, it generally signals 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 review instructions from your system’s manufacturer.
If you’re concerned about why your carbon monoxide detector is beeping, it’s frequently due to the fact it’s picking up high concentration of carbon monoxide. If your carbon monoxide detector is going off with continued, loud beeping, leave your house as quickly as possible and call 911.
Now is an excellent time to make sure your carbon monoxide detector is running like it’s supposed to before heating season begins. If you need to request furnace maintenance or you’re interested in upgrading to smart carbon monoxide detectors, the Experts at McElroy Service Experts can help. Reach us at 308-210-4398 today and we’ll help you find the perfect carbon monoxide detector for your house.