Carbon Monoxide Detectors Offer Year-Round Protection
In many American homes, the possibility of exposure to carbon monoxide is a year-round danger. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas that can’t be detected by human senses. It’s generated as the byproduct of combustion, including the burning of fossil fuels. It’s extremely dangerous; small amounts of it can harm your health, and in the right amount, carbon monoxide can be deadly. By installing carbon monoxide detectors throughout your home, you’ll substantially increase your safety against this invisible killer.
Carbon monoxide is most often associated with home heating systems, such as gas and oil furnaces. The carbon monoxide produced as a byproduct of fuel combustion is usually safely vented out of the home. However, a furnace malfunction, a problem with the venting system, or cracked heat exchanger can cause the carbon monoxide to leak into your living spaces. Since heating systems run at all hours of the day and night, a CO detector can wake you if a dangerous leak occurs while you and your family are sleeping.
The dangers aren’t restricted to the heating season, however. Carbon monoxide is produced by any type of vehicle, appliance or device that consumes fossil fuels, including gasoline or kerosene. This includes devices such as:
- Automobiles
- Lawnmowers
- Trimmers and edgers
- Gas stoves or ovens
- Snowblowers
- Space heaters
- Charcoal grills
- Gas water heaters
Since so many common household items can produce carbon monoxide, exposure to this deadly substance can occur at any time of year. For this reason, carbon monoxide detectors are extremely important to ongoing home safety.
To get the best coverage from your carbon monoxide detectors, you should:
- Place a carbon monoxide detector outside each bedroom and at each end of every floor of your home.
- Put additional detectors over any attached garages or additional rooms.
- Test the detectors monthly and put fresh batteries in them on a yearly basis.
- Add smoke alarms for additional safety.
For more information on carbon monoxide detectors and why they’re important to home safety, contact the pros at Sobieski Services. Our goal is to help educate our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC & plumbing systems).
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