Keep your family safe from this silent killer!
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless and odorless gas known as the silent killer. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, CO poisoning is the number one cause of accidental poisoning in the United States. Diagnosis of CO poisoning can be difficult because symptoms mimic those of many other illnesses and include nausea, headaches, dizziness, weakness, chest pain and vomiting. In more severe poisoning cases, people may experience disorientation or unconsciousness, or suffer long-term neurological disabilities, cardiorespiratory failure or death. Regardless of a home’s age, people can be exposed to this poisonous gas, which originates from anything that burns fuel, such as gas furnaces, stoves, water heaters, barbeque grills, wood-burning fireplaces, generators and automobiles.
My husband has always made sure that we HAVE CO detectors and that they are functional. Living in New England with a garage in the basement, we have always been paranoid about Carbon Monoxide poisoning. It’s so scary because you can’t see it and you can’t even smell it.
Do you know the potential sources of Carbon Monoxide in your home?
- Blocked Chimney
- Furnace
- Attached Garage
- Range Hood
- Clothes Dryer
- Portable Heater
- Water heater
- Fireplace
- Indoor Grilling
How many of these do you have in your home? We have all but 2!
What can you do to keep YOUR family safe? Get a First Alert CO710 Carbon Monoxide Detector!
The First Alert CO710 carbon monoxide detector is powerful, stylish and versatile. Designed to sit attractively on a tabletop or dresser, this unit can display ambient temperature on an everyday basis but will also alarm and display CO if it detects carbon monoxide in the home. The CO710 uses an electrochemical carbon monoxide sensor – the most accurate technology available. It emits a loud, 85dB alarm if carbon monoxide levels are detected at dangerous levels. The convenient peak function captures and allows you to retrieve the highest CO level recorded in your home.
This versatile detector includes a long life sealed lithium battery to power the alarm for a full 10 years without replacing the battery. This eliminates costly battery replacements and annoying low battery chirps in the middle of the night. An end-of-life alarm signals when it’s time to replace the unit in 10 years.
CO Risks and Fatalities
- CO poisoning is responsible for an average of 450 deaths and more than 20,000 emergency room visits in the U.S. each year. (American Medical Association)
- Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of CO exposure is in the home, and more than two-fifths (41 percent) occurs during the winter months of December, January and February. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Ninety percent of American homes do not meet the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) recommendation for number of CO alarms, including 40 percent that report having zero working carbon monoxide alarms. (First Alert “Get Alarmed” Survey, July 2010)
Avoiding CO Poisoning
- All fuel-burning (gas, oil and coal) devices should be serviced by a qualified technician every year. Generators, charcoal grills, camp stoves and other similar devices should only be used outdoors.
- Running vehicles inside an attached garage, even if the door is open, is hazardous, as CO can leak into the home.
- CO alarms should be installed outside each sleeping area (such as in a hallway outside the bedroom) and on every level of the home, including the basement. Battery-operated CO alarms or plug-in alarms with battery backup are preferred in case of power failure.
- Call 911 and leave the home immediately if the CO alarm sounds.
Additional CO Alarm Guidelines
- Clear CO alarms of all of dust and debris.
- Ensure that alarms are plugged all the way into the outlet or, if battery operated, have working batteries installed. Check or replace the battery when you change the time on your clocks each spring and fall.
- Make certain each person can hear the CO alarm sound from his or her sleeping area and that the sound is loud enough to awaken everyone.
- Make sure the alarms are installed at least 15 feet away from sources of CO to reduce the number of nuisance alarms.
Get peace of mind with a 10-year Carbon Monoxide Alarm from First Alert!
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