Why do you need Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Carbon Monoxide Detector
Do you have carbon monoxide detectors in your home?

Just before the winter season, we had our gas furnace inspected. We wanted to make sure everything was in good working order for the coming cold weather.

During the inspection, the service guy asked if we had carbon monoxide detectors in the house.

Fran and I looked at each other with this blank look on both of our faces because the answer was no we don't.

We've been living in this house for almost five years now and never gave it a thought. I don't know why because we had them in our last home.

What is Carbon Monoxide? Carbon monoxide is orderless, tasteless, colorless, and is not detected easily. It is a product of incomplete combustion of organic matter.

You can learn all you need to know about carbon monoxide here.

You might ask, why do I need carbon monoxide detectors?

 Carbon Monoxide is known as the silent killer. There are more than 150 unintentional deaths every year from carbon monoxide poisoning.

You can find the statistics here. 

When do you need carbon monoxide detectors:

One interesting fact that I found out is that even if your house is totally electric you may still need to have a carbon monoxide detector. If your garage is attached to the house or you have a wood burning fireplace or stove it is recommended that you have a detector.

I also found that there are different kinds of alarms. Plug in with a battery backup, ones that the battery will need to be changed once a year, and the sealed battery types that will last 10 years.

I bought two of the Universal sealed battery types. The instructions will give the recommended carbon monoxide alarm location for your home.

I  placed one in the hallway where our bedrooms are and one in the basement. I got my wife, daughter, and grandsons together and pushed the test button so everybody knows exactly what the alarm sounds like.

Some State Laws require that you have carbon monoxide alarms See States here:

So, if you don't have carbon monoxide alarms in your home please think again.

14 comments:

  1. we have to have them by law here in New Jersey

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    1. I think that is a good idea Brenda. I didn't know that any states required them. Thanks for the tip :)

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  2. I live in an apartment complex, Sam, and all apts. have them. The battery obviously got low and the unit beeped at me. I had not heard it before so 'assumed' it was the smoke alarm 'low battery' reminder. Nope, turned out to the the carbon monoxide detector. Now I know what it sounds like, so it's good that you tested yours with your family so everyone now knows and will recognize it if ever goes off.

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    1. I thought that was good idea with the especially for the kids. I also learned about the state laws that require the alarms. Thanks Pat :)

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  3. That is enterprise associated knowledge gaining article. This put up is truly the first-class on this valuable subject matter. sam ovens

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  4. A good informative post and although I personally dont need any we have no mains gas here in Thailand and the sun is our water heater but I will share as I understand tbe importance of having them in most homes 😀

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    1. Thanks so much Carol for sharing this. Carbon Monoxide detectors are so important especially in our area.

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  5. We don't have to heat the house because the weather never goes beyond 4C, I guess we can skip this!

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  6. That's a very good informative post for everyone.....thanks for sharing Sam..

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  7. Very informative blog Sam. Thanks for sharing.

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  8. I needed a Carbon Monoxide Detector, because I might have died without one. Fortunately, the seller had to place one in the house upon its resale to me. After having my roof replaced, I closed the doors late that night as I had them open for ventilation through the screens, and about four hours later, I was hearing the alarm loudly saying, “Carbon monoxide.” Yes, this alarm talks. I tried resetting it, and it still kept talking. I began opening the doors and windows and tried to figure out who to call. I called the Fire Department, and they asked me to please wait outside even though the alarm had now stopped yelling. Yes, it was loud. Their detector found carbon monoxide in my hallway but at a low level, because the house was now open. My furnace and hot water tank are both in closets in that hallway. When the roofers placed the cap back on the hot water tank, the new roof opening did not align with the flue on the hot water tank so they had jammed the cap on it hard enough to completely break the flue in half. The carbon monoxide was coming from my hot water heater. The fire department had called the gas company who arrived shortly and flagged and turned off my hot water tank.

    Do not depend on a ceiling smoke detector which also claims to be a carbon monoxide detector. Carbon monoxide is heavier than air and sits close to the floor even though with time it might make the ceiling alarm alert you. Having said that, the next time I had to replace the battery in the ceiling alarm, when I put the new battery in, it said, “Carbon monoxide previously detected.” Yes, it talks, also. What good did that do me? It never triggered an alarm the night I need it, and it is in the same hallway as the carbon monoxide detector.

    I cannot stress having one of these enough! My next door neighbor had had his roof replaced about three weeks before I did, and had this happened in his house, he did not have a carbon monoxide detector and might not be here today. He now has two. One in his furnace/hot water tank area, and one near the gas fireplace.

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    1. Wow! Daphne, I'm so glad it all worked out and you're safe. Good thinking opening doors and windows when the alarm went off. We have two in our house, one in the basement near the furnace and hot water tank and another up in the hallway. I agree on how important these things really are they really do save lives.

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