Carbon Monoxide Detectors: Safety Tips From Your Local Electrician
The new year has arrived, and what better way to start a fresh year than with a few safety tips from your local Southeastern, PA electrician, KB Electric LLC. We all press the reset button when the new year hits. Whether re-enrolling at the local gym, or sitting down to write a vision board for another year, the beginning of a new year is a great time to re-evaluate our lives. Sometimes though, we forget to press the test button on the obvious things to make sure our homes and our lives stay protected. This is why the beginning of a new year is a great time to do some safety upkeep in our homes. The most obvious thing to do around the house is to check and test our smoke detectors to make certain they are all still working properly in case of a fire. We also need to check and test our carbon monoxide detectors to protect us from carbon monoxide poisoning.
What Is Carbon Monoxide?
Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that emits when the burning of different types of fuel (natural gas, oil, etc.) doesn’t burn completely. It is known as the “silent killer” without its detection using a carbon monoxide (CO) detector/alarm. This is because the gas is tasteless, odorless, and colorless.
Carbon Monoxide Detector Safety Tips
Get carbon monoxide detectors installed in your home if you don’t already have them.
All carbon monoxide detectors should be installed on every level of your home (and outside of bedrooms).
Take extra precaution in the winter time when your heating unit is in use, making sure that all detectors are working properly and have been tested and/or swapped out if they are no longer working.
Interconnected detectors provide the most protection in the house. Interconnected alarms mean that when one goes off, all of the alarms in the house will go off, alerting everyone throughout the home.
Test your carbon monoxide detectors at least once a month to ensure they are still working properly. You’ll see a TEST button on the alarm to do so.
Change your carbon monoxide alarms once they expire. A carbon monoxide detector usually has a lifespan between 5 and 7 years. Check the expiration date on the unit.
Change the batteries in the carbon monoxide detectors at least once a year. The alarms will usually beep/chirp when the batteries are low, so change them when this occurs.
If your carbon monoxide detector goes off, remove yourself from the home immediately and call 9-1-1!
Hire KB Electric LLC For Carbon Monoxide Detector Installation
Need assistance for installing new carbon monoxide detectors throughout your home? Call KB Electric LLC today for quality service. We can help you test your existing units if you aren’t sure they are working properly, and we can replace them if needed as well. We are licensed and insured electricians that care about the safety of you and your family. (267) 467-3178