Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Carbon monoxide detectors (CO) are vital to help protect you and your family against the silent killer. This invisible and odorless gas is produced when fossil fuels are burned incompletely in the presence of insufficient oxygen. It can also be generated by malfunctioning furnaces, wood stoves and fireplaces, charcoal grills, and internal combustion engines in vehicles or generators. It is the leading cause of poisonings in homes with fossil fuel burning appliances, and can be even more deadly during winter when people are using more heating equipment.
Carbon Monoxide Detectors: Your Lifesaving Guardian Against the Silent Killer
CO combines with hemoglobin in blood to form carboxyhemoglobin, which bonds tightly with oxygen and blocks its flow. When exposed to dangerous levels of CO, people may experience headache, fatigue or nausea, but they won’t know that their bodies are slowly suffocating. A detector, which sounds an alarm when it detects CO in the air, gives you the warning you need to escape a hazardous situation before it is too late.
Placements
CO detectors are ideally placed near bedrooms as the carbon monoxide they detect will primarily be inhaled during sleep. Other areas that require them include any space where fuel-powered appliances are used, and garages for storing vehicles or power tools. However, these sensors are sensitive to sunlight and humidity which can affect their performance and may trigger false alarms. It is therefore best to mount them at least a few feet below the ceiling.
Many models have a sealed battery which eliminates the need for maintenance and tampering. For this reason, these types are often preferred by homeowners.
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