Once your home is closed up and you’re using the heating system, carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning becomes a threat that you can’t take lightly. Getting your furnace serviced to ensure that it’s working properly and safely is important to reduce your risk of exposure. However, you also need to make sure that the carbon monoxide detectors in your home are working properly.
Why Well-Functioning Carbon Monoxide Detectors Matter
Carbon monoxide gas is a byproduct of incomplete combustion in any fuel-burning device, like a gas furnace, water heater or range. Low levels of CO can make you sick, while high levels can be lethal. Since the gas has no color, taste or odor, it’s impossible to know if it’s in your air supply unless you have a functional detector that sounds an alarm.
Tips for Keeping Your CO Detectors in Working Order
You should read your owner’s manual for specific recommendations from your device manufacturer, but you can also use these suggestions to help keep your CO detectors in good working order:
- To check whether a device is working, hold down the “test” button until you hear a beep. If the unit doesn’t make a sound, change out the batteries and test it a second time. If it still doesn’t beep, you should replace it immediately.
- Get into the habit of replacing the batteries in all your detectors every six months. If you do this each spring and fall when you’re adjusting the clocks for daylight saving time, you’ll find it easier to remember.
- Detectors start to lose their ability to sense carbon monoxide as they age, so plan to replace all your devices after five years. You can get new models with a replacement alert feature so you’ll be reminded when it’s necessary.
- If you choose replacements that are hard-wired or plug in, look for models with battery backup so your family is still protected against CO poisoning if the power goes out.
Contact us at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning to learn more about the importance of keeping the carbon monoxide detectors in working order in your Lorain home.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about carbon monoxide detectors and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 440-201-2959.
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Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area