Safety Tips For Carbon Monoxide Detectors

This article provides safety tips for carbon monoxide detectors. Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas that can be found in homes with faulty gas appliances or other sources of combustion. Proper installation and maintenance of CO alarms are crucial, including ensuring they are battery-operated or have batteries as backup, installed on every level of the home, and interconnected with other CO and smoke alarms. CO alarms should be tested monthly and have their batteries replaced at least once a year. If a CO alarm sounds, everyone in the home should exit the building safely and call 911 immediately. Preventing CO in the home includes servicing gas-burning appliances, only purchasing equipment with a national testing laboratory seal, inspecting and cleaning chimneys yearly, and not operating gasoline-powered tools or using gas ranges, ovens, or charcoal grills for indoor heating.