With the heating season in full swing, we wanted to take the opportunity to talk about the importance of carbon monoxide detectors, and remind Atlanta residents that now is the time to check your carbon monoxide detector if have one, or get one if you don’t. Everyone knows why it’s important to have a working smoke alarm in the home, but a carbon monoxide detector could be just as important in saving you and your family’s lives in the event of a leak.
Why Are Carbon Monoxide Detectors So Important?
Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless and colorless gas that, in high enough concentrations, can cause illness and death. Carbon monoxide can be produced as the byproduct of combustion that takes place in your furnace, boiler, gas stove or gas water heater. When working normally, these appliances safely vent carbon monoxide outside your home where it can disperse.
If you’re getting your furnace or boiler maintained regularly by the experts at R.S. Andrews, you are already doing the single best thing to minimize the danger CO can pose to you and your family. If something does go wrong, however, and carbon monoxide is allowed to begin building up inside your home, a carbon monoxide detector is the only way for you to know that it’s there, since there is no taste, odor or physical indication of the presence of this poison inside your house.
Don’t Have a Carbon Monoxide Detector? Install One Today!
If you don’t have carbon monoxide detectors in your home yet, they are quite easy to install as they basically resemble smoke detectors in form and function. Battery operated or powered by your home’s electricity depending on the model you choose, CO detectors should be installed near the house’s bedrooms so that anyone sleeping will be awakened by a sudden build up of CO in the middle of the night.
One thing you should avoid is installing a CO detector too close to your furnace or other fuel-burning appliance, as these can emit small trace amounts of CO upon ignition, triggering false alarms. Avoid installing CO detectors within 15 feet of these types of appliances, as well as in particularly humid areas such as bathrooms or washrooms. As a general rule, you should place CO detectors high up on the walls, where lighter-than-air CO will naturally build up first, but do follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your particular unit.
Check Your Carbon Monoxide Detector Regularly
Checking your CO detector is easy; look for a “test” button on the detector that when pressed, emits a sharp beep or flash of light to indicate that the detector is working properly. If the detector is battery-powered, be sure to change the batteries at least once a year to ensure that they are always working.
If you have any questions about carbon monoxide or CO detectors, give us a call today – our expert heating techs have over 40 years of experience protecting Atlanta homeowners and keeping furnaces, boilers and other CO producing appliances running safely and efficiently, and can answer any and all questions you may have.