Q: Are carbon monoxide detectors really worth the money? We have a smoke detector.
A: Yes, Yes, Yes and Yes. How many yesses do you need?
Smoke detectors are a life-safety device and have done their job saving countless lives, there is no question, that is a fact. If your smoke detector goes off, you are quite aware there is smoke in the air and quickly plan your next move.
Carbon monoxide is not so obvious. Being odorless and colorless and present in every type of combustion, the opportunity for improper combustion is ever present. However, as the chemists in the audience know, combustion without carbon monoxide is not a reality. A certain level of CO is produced in your gas furnace, water heater and gas range. Obviously, wood stoves and automobiles (not Teslas) spew thousands of parts per million of CO just starting up. Being aware of that fact, and hopefully being one that enjoys breathing fresh air, investing in a quality carbon monoxide detector may perhaps prevent the unthinkable.
Like a smoke alarm, a good quality carbon monoxide detector is also a lifesaving device. Despite our amazing senses, we are ill equipped to pick up on this naturally occurring, and often very deadly gas. It seems almost sinister that something so dreadful is undetectable without a monitor designed for that purpose.
Consider how effortlessly we employ all our other senses to keep us out of harm’s way. We feel heat and cold, see danger in all its forms, hear trouble brewing, taste a moldy bagel (yuck), but can’t smell carbon monoxide. Considering how important breathing clean air is, you would have thought the amazing human body could come up with a solution, perhaps it did, it invented carbon monoxide detectors.
So today, if you don’t have a CO detector, go get one. Or better yet, get one for each level of your home (and don’t forget the office). We don’t sell them, so we have no skin in the game, however at AirWorks we are dealing with CO on a constant basis during our many service and maintenance calls. We check for CO production at the source by using specific analyzers sampling the exhaust gasses leaving your heating and hot water appliances.
We have certainly discovered, and it’s no secret, if equipment is properly maintained (this generally means annually) it will run more efficiently and operate safely. On a regular basis we will encounter levels of carbon monoxide in the flue that far exceed manufacturers recommendation, gas company regulations, and are just plain unsafe. The owners of this poorly running equipment were unaware and lucky that this evil genie didn’t get out of its bottle.
When purchasing your new CO detector(s), please don’t be stingy, spend a little more and get one with a digital display. By design, most detectors alarm at 70 parts per million if exposed to that level (or more) for an hour. In my opinion, if it’s already that high there is big trouble brewing. The majority of the digital display models will start to show a reading at around 30 PPM, and then alarm at 70 PPM. They also have a button to show “peak level” and that can be a scary button to push. Your detector (s) needs to be where you can see it and you should know where it is (not in your kitchen drawer folks).
I’m sure you know where your fire extinguishers are in a moment’s notice (don’t you?). So please equip your home and office with good quality detectors and make sure to take care of your heating equipment by calling AirWorks at (406) 257-1341.
