As autumn arrives, now is a great time to start thinking about your residence’s carbon monoxide detectors. When heating season begins, the Centers for Disease Control says the likelihood 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 relies on to heat your home. When your furnace is running as it should, the gas is securely pushed outside of your house. Breaks in your furnace’s heat exchanger or flue pipes can cause carbon monoxide to leak into your house, where prolonged exposure can be deadly.
Although carbon monoxide poisoning is escapable, 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 ER because of related ailments, like headaches, dizziness and vomiting.
The best ways you can safeguard your family is by organizing yearly maintenance of all gas, oil, or wood burning appliances, such as your furnace and water heater, and installing a carbon monoxide detector. From plug-in to smart carbon monoxide detectors, there’s an option on the market that matches for your home and budget.
Smart Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Smart carbon monoxide detectors, including the Nest carbon monoxide detector, make it straightforward to remain in control for keeping your home safe. They’re usually offered as duo carbon monoxide and smoke detectors and can generally be linked with other smart home devices via Wi-Fi.
Here are a few other advantages of installing them in your residence:
- Alerts you that there’s trouble through voice notifications, plus alerts on your phone.
- Pinpoints the problem room, such as the kitchen or basement.
- Can be silenced from your phone.
- Automatically reviews its sensors and batteries and reveals findings through a useful report on your phone.
- Warns you of dying 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 kind.
The only issue with having Wi-Fi carbon monoxide detectors is the cost. These detectors are often much more expensive than their plug-in or battery-powered counterparts. But they also provide many beneficial and important features you won’t find in a non-smart device.
When you’re buying a new device, it’s vital to understand where to attach carbon monoxide detectors. The Environmental Protection Agency suggests installing a carbon monoxide detector at least five feet above the floor or on the ceiling. This is due to the fact carbon monoxide can rise with heated air.
We advise installing a detector on each floor of your house, especially 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 reasonable. A few of the most popular styles are Kidde carbon monoxide detectors and First Alert carbon monoxide detectors.
But they also have fewer 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 encourages testing hardwired carbon monoxide alarms once a month. Battery-powered detectors that don’t plug in ought to be tested every week. If you’re wondering how to test for carbon monoxide, it’s pretty simple. Depress the button to ensure your detector is working.
If your detector is hardwired, make sure to change the backup battery at least once a year. If it’s battery-powered, you’ll want to change it once a month to bypass the irritating chirp in the middle of the night.
If you’re hearing a chirp or your carbon monoxide detector is beeping intermittently, it often 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 have. 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 usually due to the fact it’s detecting dangerous amounts of carbon monoxide. If your carbon monoxide detector is going off with steady, loud beeping, leave your home immediately and contact 911.
Now is a great time to make sure your carbon monoxide detector is functioning properly before heating season begins. If you need to schedule furnace maintenance or you’re interested in upgrading to smart carbon monoxide detectors, the Experts at Peachtree Service Experts can assist you. Reach us at 678-235-9699 today and we’ll help you find the best carbon monoxide detector for your house.