Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and toxic gas produced as a by-product of combustion.
When this toxic gas enters the body, it restricts the flow of oxygen to body tissues and major organs.
Exposure to high levels of gas can lead to serious complications, including loss of consciousness, lack of coordination, and death by suffocation. It is therefore imperative that gas leaks are detected early to prevent serious health consequences.
Any fuel-burning appliance, vehicle, or tool has the potential to produce dangerous levels of CO gas. Some examples of CO-producing mechanisms are automobiles, charcoal grills, fireplaces and woodstoves, gas dryers, gas stoves, and gas water heaters.
Higher levels of CO may occur from improperly maintained, installed, or used fuel-burning appliances, back-drafting appliances or fireplaces, or idling cars in garages.
When it comes to family safety, there are several steps that you can take to protect your loved ones at home. Let’s learn more!
A Carbon Monoxide Detector Can Save Lives
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends that every home have a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm. CPSC also urges consumers to have a professional inspection of all fuel-burning appliances, including furnaces, stoves, fireplaces, clothes dryers, water heaters, and space heaters, to detect deadly carbon monoxide leaks.
CO alarms are widely available and should be considered a backup to, but not a replacement for, proper installation, use, and maintenance of fuel-burning appliances. CO alarms are designed to warn you of any unusual build-up of CO in your home.
In addition to installing CO alarms, homeowners should follow proper gas safety and prevention measures, including regular inspections of fuel-burning appliances and gas lines.
Carbon Monoxide Detectors are Important for Your Family
When it comes to protecting the health and life of your family members, a carbon monoxide alarm detector plays a vital role in stopping family members from potentially dying from carbon monoxide poisoning.
These carbon monoxide detection devices can detect the silent killer and sound an alarm if any presence of CO is detected in the same way that a smoke detector will sound an alarm when smoke is detected. This is especially important when protecting children from household gas hazards, as young children are more vulnerable to carbon monoxide exposure.
Selecting the Best Detector for You
When it comes to buying a carbon monoxide detection system for your home, you need to make sure you choose the right one.
All detectors sold on the market today should conform to minimum sensitivity and alarm characteristics. Understanding detector sensitivity can help prevent confusion caused by a carbon monoxide detector going off unexpectedly, especially in homes with newer appliances.
These characteristics have been defined and are verified by Underwriters Laboratory in their standard for CO detectors UL 2034.
This standard was most recently revised in June of 1995 and went into effect in October of 1995. This revision specified additional requirements regarding the identification of detector type, low-level (nuisance) alarm sensitivity, and alarm silencing.
Under no circumstances should one purchase a detector that is not UL-listed.
Protect Your Health and Safety
Standard CO detectors do not alarm below 30 ppm, and may not be protective enough for older adults, pregnant women, and young children. While CO alarms are critical, homeowners should understand that carbon monoxide detectors do not detect natural gas, which requires separate detection methods.
The American Lung Association further cautions that breathing low CO levels can cause headaches, nausea, dizziness, weakness, confusion, and disorientation. Breathing low CO levels regularly may cause permanent mental or physical problems.
Intown Plumbing uses gas leak detectors of the highest standards. When it comes to low-level CO detectors, we recommend the Defender Low-Level CO Monitor.
The Defender is a professional-quality, sealed lithium battery-powered low-level carbon monoxide monitor. It continuously displays CO levels detected of 5 ppm or more.
Visual alert signals are automatically activated at 9 ppm, and audible and visual alarm signals at 15 ppm. It has a secure mounting system and non-removable batteries.
Where to Place CO Detectors?
At a minimum, you should have one carbon monoxide sensor on each floor of your home so that your family on every floor has protection.
Additional detectors should be placed around any major gas-burning appliances, such as a furnace or water heater.
Benefit from Peace of Mind
The relief that comes with having carbon monoxide detectors fitted in your home means that they are well worth the cost.
You can’t really put a price on protection and peace of mind for your family, which is why this is an investment that anyone without a CO detector in the home should make.
When it comes to choosing a carbon monoxide detector, there are several different factors that you should take into consideration.
Intown Plumbing is happy to inform you of the key reasons why carbon monoxide detectors are so important for your home and for the safety and well-being of your loved ones. We’ll help you find the right solution that works best for your home. Give us a call today!
