If you have any flame-fueled appliances in your home, a gas fireplace, or an attached garage, carbon monoxide detectors are a must-have item for the safety of you and your family. Carbon monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in America.
Most homes in Scottsdale should have carbon monoxide detectors. Does yours?
Carbon monoxide is odorless, tasteless, and you can’t see it. Inside your home, it is caused from any incomplete combustion of a flame fuel, such as a gas or propane cooktop, fireplaces, ovens, clothes dryers or vehicles. (Furnaces and water heaters can be sources of carbon monoxide, too, but typically have vents so that the fumes can escape outside.)
Inhalation of carbon monoxide is dangerous because it can cause unconsciousness, brain damage and death, in extreme cases. In mild cases, it causes symptoms of the flu, headaches and shortness of breath. Babies, children, pregnant woman, the elderly, and those with respiratory issues are more sensitive to carbon monoxide exposure.
Carbon monoxide detectors, placed in strategic areas of your home, can greatly reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. They can detect exposure to high levels of carbon monoxide in a short amount of time, or to low levels over an extended amount of time.
They are typically plugged into a power source, so if your carbon monoxide detector doesn’t have a battery back-up, keep in mind that it can be ineffective in the event of a power outage.
They should be installed at least 15 feet away from any flame-fueled appliance (to avoid false alarms,) near every bedroom, on every level of the home, and within 10 feet of your attached garage’s interior door to your home. Also, they should be installed in any bedroom located above a garage. They should not be installed near an open door or window (close to drafts of air), behind curtains, or low enough for children to reach. Ideally, they should be installed at eye height for an adult, and no closer than 2 feet from the ceiling.
If you need help installing your carbon monoxide detector, the Scottsdale Fire Department can help.
In the event that your home’s carbon monoxide detector goes off, don’t fool around! Their alarm is meant to sound before exposure to the gas gets to a dangerous level. Round up your family and pets, and make sure everyone moves to the outside for fresh air. Call 911 if anyone has symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning or exposure. Open doors and windows to ventilate the inside of your house, determine the source of the problem and get it fixed before returning to the inside of your home.
If your carbon monoxide detector has a test function, be sure to test it monthly. Also check that the settings are appropriate for the people living in your home. For example, since kids are susceptible to symptoms at lower carbon monoxide levels, make sure your detector is set accordingly if you have children. Also, be sure to change the back-up batteries at least once a year.
If you have flame-fueled appliances in your home, properly maintained carbon monoxide detectors can save lives.
Related post: information on maintaining your home’s smoke detectors.
Looking for DC Ranch homes for sale? Contact us at 480-360-0281, or fill out the contact form below, to get your search started.
Don Matheson
Realtor | Founder
The Matheson Team – RE/MAX Fine Properties
21000 N. Pima Rd., #100, Scottsdale, AZ 85255
480-360-0281
don@scottsdalerealestate.com
