Some homeowners don’t realize how important carbon monoxide (CO) alarms are to the safety of their families. A smoke alarm by itself is incomplete protection if you have any kind of burning inside your home. Gas or oil furnaces, gas ranges or ovens, and fireplaces are all examples of potential sources for carbon monoxide poisoning.
Carbon Monoxide is called the silent killer because you can’t hear it, see it or smell it. It can kill everyone in your family, just like this tragedy in Michigan.
You won’t realize it is present unless you have this kind of alarm. A small crack inside your furnace is all it takes for the deadly gas to leak into your home. When it does, you might be facing a similar tragedy.
Similar to smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms give off an audible sound when they detect CO in the air. The devices look like a smoke detector and are sometimes confused with them, but they work differently. Also, they make a different sound than a smoke detector. If you hear yours go off, do not ignore it. Get out of the house and call the fire department for help.
You can purchase many varieties of CO alarms in the price range of fifteen to thirty dollars. Obviously, this is very inexpensive family protection. The alarm devices come in both battery-operated and hard-wired versions, and some even contain 10-year batteries. The newer models are a great value for the price.
Dual Function Carbon Monoxide Alarms
This image above shows a single function CO detector, but manufacturers also offer dual function devices. You can buy a detector that will sound the alarm when it senses either smoke or carbon monoxide. Getting them in a combination is a good idea because it is simpler to manage and maintain just one device.
If you need assistance with a hard-wired device, Frye Electric will be glad to help. Just contact us to schedule a quick visit by one of our team members. For more safety tips about carbon monoxide alarms, visit the Electrical Safety Foundation International web page.