Carbon Monoxide Detectors: Ultimate Guide

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a common risk found in the home. Known as the “silent killer,” CO gas is colorless, odorless, tasteless and non-irritating, but it can result in unconsciousness, brain damage or death. Consequently, more than 400 people suffer fatal carbon monoxide exposure each year, a higher fatality rate versus other types of poisoning.

As the weather cools off, you seal your home for the winter and trust in heating appliances to stay warm. These situations are when the risk of carbon monoxide exposure is highest. The good news is you can safeguard your family from a gas leak in different ways. One of the most efficient methods is to put in CO detectors around your home. Check out this guide to help you understand where carbon monoxide can appear from and how to reap the benefits of your CO detectors.

What generates carbon monoxide in a house?

Carbon monoxide is a byproduct of something burned. Because of this, this gas can appear whenever a fuel source burns, such as natural gas, propane, oil, charcoal, gasoline, woo, and more. Prevalent causes of carbon monoxide in a house may be:

• Blocked up clothes dryer vent

• Malfunctioning water heater
• Furnace or boiler with a cracked heat exchanger
• Closed fireplace flue with a lit fire
• Poorly vented gas or wood stove
• Vehicle sitting in the garage

• Portable generator, grill, power tool or lawn equipment being used in the garage

Do smoke detectors detect carbon monoxide?

No, smoke detectors do not detect carbon monoxide. Instead, they sound an alarm when they sense a certain level of smoke caused by a fire. Having reliable smoke detectors reduces the risk of dying in a house fire by nearly 55 percent.

Smoke detectors come in two primary modes—ionization detectors and photoelectric detectors. Ionization detection functions well with fast-moving fires that emit large flames, while photoelectric models are more applicable for smoldering, smoky fires. Some newer smoke detectors come with both forms of alarms in a single unit to maximize the chance of recognizing a fire, despite how it burns.

Unmistakably, smoke detectors and CO alarms are similarly important home safety devices. If you look up at the ceiling and find an alarm of some kind, you may not recognize whether it’s a smoke detector or a carbon monoxide alarm. The visual difference depends on the brand and model you have. Here are several factors to keep in mind:

• Most devices are visibly labeled. If not, try to find a brand and model number on the back of the detector and locate it online. You will also find a manufacture date. If the device is more than a decade old, replace it at the earliest opportunity.
• Plug-in devices that use power through an outlet are generally carbon monoxide sensors be labeled as such.
• Some alarms are really two-in-one, offering protection against both smoke and carbon monoxide with a separate indicator light for each. Nevertheless, it can be difficult 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 should I install in my home?

The number of CO alarms you need depends on your home’s size, the number of stories and bedroom arrangement. Use these guidelines to provide total coverage:

• Install carbon monoxide detectors nearby wherever people sleep: CO gas leaks are most likely at night when furnaces are running more often to keep your home heated. As a result, all bedrooms should have a carbon monoxide detector installed about 15 feet of the door. If two bedroom doors are less than 30 feet apart, a single alarm is adequate.
• Put in detectors on every floor: Concentrated carbon monoxide gas 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 your internal garage door: Many people end up leaving their cars idling in the garage, resulting in dangerous carbon monoxide gas, even when the large garage door is fully open. A CO sensor right inside the door—and in the room over the garage—alerts you of increased carbon monoxide levels entering your home.
• Install detectors at the correct height: Carbon monoxide features a weight similar to air, but it’s frequently carried upward in the hot air created by combustion appliances. Having detectors near the ceiling is a good way to catch this rising air. Models that come with digital readouts are best installed at eye level to make sure they’re easy to read.
• Put in detectors at least 15 feet from combustion appliances: A few fuel-burning machines give off a small, harmless amount of carbon monoxide as they first start running. This disperses quickly, but if a CO detector is installed right next to it, it might trigger false alarms.

• Put in detectors away from high heat and humidity: Carbon monoxide detectors have specific tolerances for heat and humidity. To limit false alarms, avoid installing them in bathrooms, in strong sunlight, near air vents, or close to heat-generating appliances.

How do I test/troubleshoot a carbon monoxide alarm?

Depending on the design, the manufacturer will sometimes recommend monthly testing and resetting to sustain proper functionality. Also, replace the batteries in battery-powered units twice a year. For hardwired units, replace the backup battery once a year or when the alarm begins chirping, whichever comes first. Then, replace the CO detector completely every 10 years or in line with the manufacturer’s guidelines.

How to test your carbon monoxide alarm

You only need a minute to test your CO detector. Check the instruction manual for directions unique to your unit, knowing that testing practices this general process:

• Press and hold the Test button. It might take 5 to 20 seconds for the alarm to begin.
• Loud beeping signifies the detector is functioning correctly.
• Let go of the Test button and wait for two fast beeps, a flash or both. If the device goes on beeping when you let go of the button, press and hold it again for five seconds to stop it.

Swap out the batteries if the unit isn’t performing as expected for the test. If replacement batteries don’t change anything, replace the detector entirely.

How to reset your carbon monoxide alarm

You’re only required to reset your unit once the alarm goes off, after testing the device or after changing the batteries. Some models automatically reset themselves in 10 minutes of these events, while other alarms need a manual reset. The instruction manual should note which function you should use.

Follow these steps to reset your CO detector manually:

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

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

What do I do if a carbon monoxide alarm is triggered?

Follow these steps to protect your home and family:

• Do not dismiss the alarm. You might not be able to identify dangerous levels of carbon monoxide until it’s too late, so anticipate the alarm is operating correctly when it goes off.
• Evacuate all people and pets immediately. If you can, open windows and doors on your way out to attempt to thin out the concentration of CO gas.
• Call 911 or the local fire department and inform them that the carbon monoxide alarm has gone off.

• Don’t assume it’s safe to reenter your home when the alarm stops beeping. Opening windows and doors may help air it out, but the root cause could still be creating carbon monoxide.
• When emergency responders come, they will search your home, measure carbon monoxide levels, try to find the source of the CO leak and figure out if it’s safe to return. Depending on the cause, you may need to arrange repair services to stop the problem from reappearing.

Find Support from Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing

With the right precautions, there’s no need to worry about carbon monoxide poisoning in your home. In addition to installing CO alarms, it’s important to maintain your fuel-burning appliances, especially as winter arrives.

The team at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing is happy to inspect, clean, diagnose and repair issues with furnaces, boilers, water heaters and other combustion appliances. We understand what signs suggest a possible carbon monoxide leak— such as excess soot, rusted flue pipes and a yellow, flickering burner flame—along with the necessary repairs to avoid 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.