Carbon Monoxide Detector – Keeping Your Family Safe
When most homeowners start thinking of their family’s safety, things like smoke detectors and security systems come to mind. But for many out there, adding a carbon monoxide detector to your home is a must and is something that is often overlooked. It’s an important addition to any home, and well worth the money.
Carbon monoxide gas is highly toxic, but the issue is that it has no odour, no taste, and isn’t initially irritating to the body or the mucous membranes. This means that for many, its presence isn’t noticed until it’s too late. Homes that rely on gas or oil heaters, stoves, fireplaces, and other appliances may be at risk for a build up of carbon monoxide, which could be deadly. That’s why utilisation of a carbon monoxide detector is so important.
Most safety commissions now recommend that these detectors are as important to home safety as smoke detectors, and it’s recommended that all homes have one installed regardless of their source of heat.
Basically, these detectors work by measuring the level of carbon monoxide in the air over time. They sound off their alarm before dangerous levels are actually reached to ensure that those in the home are able to ventilate the home or evacuate it until levels are safe again. These detectors don’t function as a smoke detector, but there are dual detectors available on the market that will detect both smoke and CO.
Luckily, a carbon monoxide detector is very inexpensive and easy to add to a home. These sensors are powered either by plugging them into an outlet or through the use of batteries, and most will also provide a warning when the battery power is getting low so that it can be replaced. They don’t have to be placed near the ceiling since CO gas will linger throughout the air, not just rise as smoke does. Of course, in the case of dual smoke/CO detectors, placement near the ceiling is a must.
Keeping your home safe is very important, and adding a CO detector to each floor is highly recommended. There is no other way to detect the presence of this dangerous gas, and the small price is well worth the peace of mind and the safety it brings. There are numerous models on the market and finding the one that fits your home and your needs the best is fairly easy to do.