You’ve probably heard at least one story from a friend of a friend who knew someone who almost died of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning in the home. The truth is that carbon monoxide danger exists in every home, and using detectors is an effective, low-cost solution that will alert you of its presence before it’s too late.

Carbon monoxide detectors are necessary because, unlike some other hazardous gases, we can’t see or smell or taste CO. The only way to detect its presence is through a mechanical device.

CO also works swiftly. Most dangerous situations occur from a gas pipe leaking or a combustion appliance that defaults and then releases CO. Homeowners won’t know there’s a problem, and within a matter of hours there can be enough CO in the air to cause irreparable damage or, in the worst cases, death. A concentration of CO at just 30 percent can leave long-lasting effects within a mere three hours of exposure.

You can purchase an effective CO detector for under $50, and this might be the best $50 you ever spend. CO detectors have benefitted from advances in technology. There are a few different processes that detectors use to signal the presence of CO, but they all use a sensor, some kind of chemical reaction and an alarm.

It’s important to get to know the CO detectors on the market. In general, most units should be able to alert you to high levels of CO exposure, which is the most common situation that occurs. However, low levels of exposure over a longer period of time are also dangerous, and not all detectors will sense low levels.

All carbon monoxide detectors on the market should be approved by the Underwriters Laboratory, which tests units to ensure that they meet minimum requirements for sensor response and alarm features.

It’s smart to keep yourself and your family safe with a CO detector. Call the experts at All Year for help with selecting a CO detector and to ensure that your home is safe.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about carbon monoxide detectors and other HVAC topics, click here to download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

All Year services the Greater Sacramento area.  To get started, check out our website.

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