Carbon Monoxide Detectors: Ultimate Guide

Carbon monoxide (CO) is one of the most hazardous gases found in the home. Nicknamed the “silent killer,” CO gas is colorless, odorless, tasteless and non-irritating, however it can lead to unconsciousness, brain damage or death. As a result, more than 400 people die as a result of carbon monoxide exposure each year, a steeper fatality rate versus any other kind of poisoning.

As the weather cools down, you close up your home for the winter and count on heating appliances to keep warm. This is when the risk of carbon monoxide inhalation is highest. The good news is you can safeguard your family from carbon monoxide in several ways. One of the most effective methods is to add CO detectors around your home. Use this guide to help you understand where carbon monoxide is produced and how to take full advantage of your CO alarms.

What causes carbon monoxide in a house?

Carbon monoxide is a byproduct whenever something combusts. Therefore, this gas is generated when a fuel source is ignited, such as natural gas, propane, oil, charcoal, gasoline, woo, and more. Common causes of carbon monoxide in a house include:

  • Blocked up clothes dryer vent
  • Faulty water heater
  • Furnace or boiler with a cracked heat exchanger
  • Closed fireplace flue with a lit fire
  • Improperly vented gas or wood stove
  • Vehicle idling in the garage
  • Portable generator, grill, power tool or lawn equipment being used in the garage

Do smoke detectors sense carbon monoxide?

No, smoke detectors do not detect carbon monoxide. In fact, they sound an alarm when they recognize a certain amount of smoke produced by a fire. Installing reliable smoke detectors reduces the risk of dying in a house fire by about 55 percent.

Smoke detectors come in two main modes—ionization detectors and photoelectric detectors. Ionization detection works best with quick-moving fires that produce large flames, while photoelectric detection is more suited for smoldering, smoky fires. Some newer smoke detectors include both forms of alarms in a single unit to boost the chance of recognizing a fire, regardless of how it burns.

Obviously, smoke detectors and CO alarms are similarly important home safety devices. If you check the ceiling and see an alarm of some kind, you might not know whether it’s a smoke detector or a carbon monoxide alarm. The visual difference depends on the brand and model you have. Here are a few factors to keep in mind:

  • Quality devices are clearly labeled. If not, try to find a brand and model number on the back of the detector and find it online. You will also find a manufacture date. If the device is more than a decade old, replace it as soon as possible.
  • Plug-in devices that extract power through an outlet are typically carbon monoxide is supposed to be labeled saying as much.
  • Some alarms will be two-in-one, offering protection against both smoke and carbon monoxide with an indicator light for each. That being said, it can be hard to tell without a label on the front, so reviewing the manufacturing details on the back is your best bet.

How many carbon monoxide detectors will I want in my home?

The number of CO alarms you should have is determined by your home’s size, how many floors it has and the number of bedrooms. Use these guidelines to provide thorough coverage:

  • Install carbon monoxide detectors near bedrooms: CO gas poisoning is most likely at night when furnaces are running constantly to keep your home comfortable. As a result, every bedroom should have a carbon monoxide alarm installed about 15 feet of the door. If a couple of bedroom doors are less than 30 feet apart, a single alarm is adequate.
  • Put in detectors on all floors: Concentrated carbon monoxide buildup can become stuck on a single floor of your home, so try to have at least one CO detector on every level.
  • Install detectors within 10 feet of the internal garage door: A lot of people accidentally leave their cars on in the garage, resulting in dangerous carbon monoxide buildup, even if the large garage door is fully open. A CO detector immediately inside the door—and in the room over the garage—alerts you of heightened carbon monoxide levels inside your home.
  • Install detectors at the appropriate height: Carbon monoxide weighs about the same as air, but it’s commonly carried along with the hot air released by combustion appliances. Installing detectors near the ceiling is ideal to catch this rising air. Models that include digital readouts are best placed at eye level to make sure they’re easy to read.
  • Add detectors around 15 feet from combustion appliances: A few fuel-burning machines give off a small, harmless amount of carbon monoxide when they start. This dissipates quickly, but when a CO detector is positioned too close, it might trigger false alarms.
  • Have detectors away from excess heat and humidity: Carbon monoxide detectors have certain tolerances for heat and humidity. To limit false alarms, try not to install them in bathrooms, in harsh sunlight, near air vents, or close to heat-generating appliances.

How do I test/troubleshoot a carbon monoxide detector?

Depending on the design, the manufacturer will sometimes suggest testing once a month and resetting to ensure proper functionality. Also, swap out the batteries in battery-powered units after 6 months. For hardwired units, replace the backup battery once a year or when the alarm starts chirping, whichever starts first. Then, replace the CO detector completely after 10 years or as outlined by the manufacturer’s guidelines.

How to test your carbon monoxide alarm

You only need a minute to test your CO sensor. Review the instruction manual for directions individual to your unit, understanding that testing follows this general procedure:

  • Press and hold the Test button. It might take 5 to 20 seconds for the alarm to go off.
  • Loud beeping means the detector is operating correctly.
  • Release the Test button and wait for two short beeps, a flash or both. If the device continues beeping when you release the button, press and hold it again for five seconds to quiet it.

Change the batteries if the unit fails to perform as expected for the test. If replacement batteries don’t make a difference, replace the detector entirely.

How to reset your carbon monoxide alarm

You only have to reset your unit once the alarm goes off, after a test or after replacing the batteries. Certain models automatically reset themselves in under 10 minutes of these events, while others require a manual reset. The instruction manual should note which function is applicable.

Follow these steps to reset your CO detector manually:

  • Press and hold the Reset button for 5 to 10 seconds.
  • Release the button and listen for a beep, a flash or both.

If you don’t hear a beep or observe a flash, try the reset again or replace the batteries. If it’s still not working, troubleshoot your carbon monoxide alarm with support from the manufacturer, or replace the detector.

What do I do if a carbon monoxide alarm starts?

Listen to these steps to take care of your home and family:

  • Do not disregard the alarm. You won’t always be able to notice hazardous levels of carbon monoxide until it’s too late, so expect the alarm is functioning properly when it starts.
  • Evacuate all people and pets as quickly as possible. If you can, open windows and doors on your way out to attempt to thin out the concentration of CO gas.
  • Call 911 or a local fire department and inform them that the carbon monoxide alarm has triggered.
  • It’s wrong to think it’s safe to reenter your home when the alarm stops running. Opening windows and doors may help air it out, but the root cause might still be generating carbon monoxide.
  • When emergency responders show up, they will enter your home, measure carbon monoxide levels, try to find the source of the CO leak and determine if it’s safe to return. Depending on the cause, you will sometimes need to arrange repair services to prevent the problem from reappearing.

Get Support from Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing

With the proper precautions, there’s no need to fear carbon monoxide inhalation in your home. Along with installing CO alarms, it’s crucial to maintain your fuel-burning appliances, particularly as winter arrives.

The team at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing is ready to inspect, clean, diagnose and repair problems with furnaces, boilers, water heaters and other combustion appliances. We understand what signs indicate a potential carbon monoxide leak— like excess soot, rusted flue pipes and a yellow, flickering burner flame—along with the necessary repairs to resolve them.

Do you still have questions or concerns about CO exposure? Is it time to schedule annual heating services? Contact Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing for more information.

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