As autumn gets closer, now is a great time to get started thinking about your residence’s carbon monoxide detectors. When heating season starts, the Centers for Disease Control says the potential of carbon monoxide poisoning builds.
Carbon monoxide is a hazardous gas that’s colorless, odorless and tasteless. It’s a product of combustion your gas furnace depends on to warm your residence. When your heating is working properly, the gas is safely pushed outside of your residence. Breaks in your furnace’s heat exchanger or flue pipes can cause carbon monoxide to leak into your home, where prolonged exposure can be lethal.
Although carbon monoxide poisoning is preventable, the CDC says at least 430 people in the U.S. die from it each year. And another approximately 50,000 people visit the emergency room due to related issues, such as headaches, dizziness and vomiting.
The best ways you can safeguard your loved ones is by setting up annual maintenance of all gas, oil, or wood burning appliances, including your furnace and water heater, and using a carbon monoxide detector. From plug-in to smart carbon monoxide detectors, there’s a model on the market to work for your home and budget.
Smart Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Smart carbon monoxide detectors, including the Nest carbon monoxide detector, make it easy to stay on top of keeping your home safe. They’re frequently offered as combination carbon monoxide and smoke detectors and can generally be synced with other smart home devices via Wi-Fi.
Here are a few other benefits of installing them in your house:
- Signals that there’s an issue 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 tests its sensors and batteries and shares findings through a full report on your phone.
- Notifies you of dead batteries with an alert on your phone, not a screeching noise in the middle of the night.
- Lasts up to 10 years, depending on the kind.
The only issue with having Wi-Fi carbon monoxide detectors is the cost. These detectors are sometimes much more expensive than their plug-in or battery-powered counterparts. But they also provide many useful and worthy features you won’t find in a non-smart device.
When you’re installing a new device, it’s crucial to learn where to put carbon monoxide detectors. The Environmental Protection Agency encourages placing a carbon monoxide detector approximately five feet above the floor or on the ceiling. This is due to the fact carbon monoxide can rise with warm air.
We advise having a detector on each floor of your house, 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 affordable. 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 aren’t compatible with your phone or smart home devices. They typically 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 every month. Battery-powered detectors that don’t plug in need to be tested once a week. If you’re unsure how to test for carbon monoxide, it’s pretty easy. Depress the button to ensure your detector is functioning.
If your detector is hardwired, make sure to change the backup battery at least annually. If it’s battery-powered, you’ll want to change it once a month to bypass the annoying chirp in the middle of the night.
If you’re hearing noise or your carbon monoxide detector is beeping more frequently, 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 own. In general, it’s between 5–10 years, but make sure to check instructions from your device’s manufacturer.
If you’re concerned about why your carbon monoxide detector is beeping, it’s likely due to the fact it’s detected hazardous amounts of carbon monoxide. If your carbon monoxide detector is going off with constant, loud beeping, leave your residence right away and dial 911.
Now is a great time to confirm your carbon monoxide detector is running properly before heating season arrives. If you need to request furnace maintenance or you’re interested in upgrading to smart carbon monoxide detectors, the Experts at Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning can provide support. Get in touch with us at 305-440-1505 today and we’ll help you select the best carbon monoxide detector for your residence.