Why Having A Carbon Monoxide Alarm In Your Home Is So Important?

A carbon monoxide alarm is an alarm designed to detect elevated levels of carbon monoxide. This is extremely important for two reasons.

First of all, elevated levels of carbon monoxide are extremely dangerous, in fact, they can be fatal. Carbon monoxide interferes with your body’s ability to absorb and transport oxygen. so even though you are breathing normally you will still suffer from oxygen deprivation. If the level of carbon monoxide rises high enough, the oxygen deprivation will end up being fatal. You and your family could go to bed one night, then die in your sleep from carbon monoxide poisoning without ever even knowing what happened.

Secondly, carbon monoxide doesn’t have an odour, a colour, or a taste. It’s known as the silent killer because most people who succumb to its effects are never even aware that it is present.

What is a carbon monoxide alarm?

• A carbon monoxide alarm is simply an alarm that detects elevated levels of this deadly gas, then emits a loud beep when they are detected. This loud beep should never be ignored. If you have a carbon monoxide alarm and it goes off, you should immediately take everyone in the house and exit it. You should also when safe to do so, open up the doors and windows to allow oxygen to enter and the carbon monoxide levels to dissipate to safer levels.
• One important note to remember is that carbon monoxide alarms should be installed at about knee height. The reason for this is because carbon monoxide gas mixes evenly with the air in a house. So, having a detector that is around knee-high will provide you with an early warning system that is at about the height of someone’s head when they are sleeping.

What are the benefits of a carbon monoxide alarm?

• A carbon monoxide alarm will provide you with an advanced warning that there are dangerous levels of carbon monoxide present. This will allow you to take action, such as leaving the building and opening doors and windows, which can save your life and the lives of your family members.
• A carbon monoxide alarm can detect even slightly elevated levels of this deadly gas, which can slowly build up in your body over time. A small, seemingly harmless level of carbon monoxide gas can build up over time turning toxic, and tragically this often leads to fatalities.
• When you have a carbon m_onoxide alarm you get the peace of mind of knowing that you and your family are safe. You probably wouldn’t go to bed at night without a smoke detector right? Well, then you definitely shouldn’t go to bed without a carbon monoxide detector either. Many people think that a smoke detector offers sufficient protection, but the truth is it does not. Carbon monoxide gas can build up inside of a home without any noticeable or detectable open flame. The bottom line is that you need a carbon monoxide alarm if you want to protect your family from this silent killer.

What are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning?

• Carbon monoxide poisoning will cause drowsiness in the victim as well as confusion and blurred vision. Many people who survive exposure to elevated levels of carbon monoxide have stated that they didn’t know that there was anything wrong, they simply started getting tired and then went to sleep. This is why a carbon monoxide alarm is so important. When you are drowsy and confused you may not realize that there is a danger present. You could simply decide to give into your drowsiness and shut your eyes for a moment. Sadly, that moment often becomes far more than a moment. In many cases, it becomes permanent as the victim of carbon monoxide poisoning never opens their eyes again.
• People who suffer from pre-existing medical conditions such as asthma, emphysema, COPD and many other health issues are much more vulnerable to carbon monoxide poisoning than the average person. Elderly people and young children are also more vulnerable.

What causes elevated levels of carbon monoxide?

You are probably wondering what the possible sources of carbon monoxide may be in your home, and what you can do to avoid them. Unfortunately, any type of home appliance that utilizes a flame such as a stove, water heater, grill, etc. will produce carbon monoxide. The good news is that if they are installed properly, and there is sufficient ventilation, the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning is fairly minimal. Does that mean you don’t have to worry about having a carbon monoxide alarm? Absolutely not. A carbon monoxide alarm is necessary because it acts as a safety buffer, protecting you and your family in the event that something goes wrong with an appliance and the carbon monoxide levels in your home become dangerous.

Carbon monoxide alarm installation guidelines

• As a general rule of thumb, you should try to place a carbon monoxide alarm in each room of your house where someone sleeps. People are much more vulnerable to carbon monoxide poisoning while they are sleeping, so investing a little extra money to supply one alarm per bedroom is well worth it.
• You should also place a carbon monoxide alarm in your kitchen since this is an area of your home where elevated carbon monoxide levels are more likely to be an issue. Placing an alarm in a laundry room if it uses a gas dryer, near a gas furnace, and near a gas-powered water heater is also a good idea.

Carbon monoxide alarm step by step instructions

1. Purchase a highly rated carbon monoxide alarm.
2. Remove the mounting bracket from the box, and use a pencil to trace an outline of ii on the wall where you plan to install your carbon monoxide alarm.
3. Use a drill to drill holes in the wall using the outline as a guide.
4. Place screw anchors in the holes. This will keep the screws from coming loose over time. If you need to you can use a hammer to gently tap the anchors until they sit flush in the wall.
5. Secure the mounting bracket to the wall using screws.
6. Install the batteries, or if you have a carbon monoxide alarm with a built-in battery turn the device on. Make sure you test it to see that it is actually up and running since there’s no sense in having a carbon monoxide alarm if it isn’t turned on.

Call us on 02 8061 5023 to make a booking with our friendly technicians for installing a carbon monoxide alarm for your home.