As fall approaches, now is an excellent time to begin thinking about your residence’s carbon monoxide detectors. When heating season is underway, the Centers for Disease Control says the potential of carbon monoxide poisoning goes up.
Carbon monoxide is a harmful gas that’s colorless, odorless and tasteless. It’s a product of combustion your gas furnace relies on to heat your residence. When your heater is running like it’s supposed to, the gas is safely vented outside of your house. Cracks in your furnace’s heat exchanger or flue pipes can cause carbon monoxide to seep into your residence, where long-term exposure can be lethal.
Despite the fact carbon monoxide poisoning is avoidable, the CDC says at least 430 people in the U.S. are killed by it every year. And another approximately 50,000 people go to the emergency room because of 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, such as your furnace and water heater, and using a carbon monoxide detector. From plug-in to smart carbon monoxide detectors, there’s a model out there to work for your house 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 family safe. They’re usually available as combination carbon monoxide and smoke detectors and can generally be linked with other smart home devices via Wi-Fi.
Here are a few other perks of installing them in your house:
- Tells you there’s trouble through voice notifications, as well as alerts on your phone.
- Locates 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.
- Notifies you of dying batteries with an alert on your phone, not a loud sound in the middle of the night.
- Lasts up to 10 years, depending on the type.
The only downside of installing Wi-Fi carbon monoxide detectors is the price tag. These detectors are often much pricier than their plug-in or battery-powered counterparts. But they also provide many useful and worthy features you don’t find in a non-smart device.
When you’re getting a new device, it’s important to understand where to attach carbon monoxide detectors. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends putting a carbon monoxide detector approximately five feet above the floor or on the ceiling. This is since carbon monoxide can rise with heated air.
We suggest installing a detector on each floor of your residence, especially 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 few of the most popular models 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 urges testing hardwired carbon monoxide alarms once a month. Battery-powered detectors that don’t plug in ought to be tested weekly. If you’re wondering how to test for carbon monoxide, it’s more or less simple. Press the button to ensure your detector is working.
If your detector is hardwired, make sure to replace the backup battery at least every 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 hearing that sound or your carbon monoxide detector is beeping regularly, it usually signals it has a low battery. Or, it’s approaching the end of its life. How long carbon monoxide detectors last depends on the brand you use. Most often, it’s approximately 5–10 years, but make sure to review instructions from your system’s manufacturer.
If you’re confused about why your carbon monoxide detector is beeping, it’s frequently due to the fact it’s detected dangerous levels of carbon monoxide. If your carbon monoxide detector is going off with continuous, loud beeping, leave your home immediately and call 911.
Now is a good time to confirm your carbon monoxide detector is functioning properly before heating season starts. If you need to set up furnace maintenance or you’re interested in upgrading to smart carbon monoxide detectors, the Experts at R & M Climate Control Service Experts can provide support. Contact us at 865-229-6176 today and we’ll help you find the best carbon monoxide detector for your home.