Carbon monoxide alarm installation is important for the maximum protective benefit to you and your family.
Tragically, everyone has seen the stories on the news of families that simply don’t wake up. Entire households can die from carbon monoxide, a poison that many people don’t even know is in their home. Carbon Monoxide is a colourless, odourless and tasteless gas and it can be deadly. There is nothing scarier to me as a parent. Danger from carbon monoxide poisoning is not restricted to any one season. It can be lethal all year round. That’s why carbon monoxide alarm installation, maintenance and replacement are so important, and now is the perfect time to get it done.
[tweetthis]Danger from carbon monoxide poisoning is not restricted to any one season. It can be lethal all year round.[/tweetthis]
Ontario requires all homes that have any fuel burning device or attached garage to have properly installed carbon monoxide alarms by April 15, 20015. Proper placement of these detectors ensures that your family will always be warned when and if carbon monoxide is in your home.
[tweetthis]Ontario requires all homes that have any fuel burning device or attached garage to have properly installed carbon monoxide alarms by April 15, 20015[/tweetthis]
Carbon Monoxide Alarm Installation
Carbon monoxide alarms are different from smoke detectors. We all know that smoke alarms should go in any area where a fire might be possible such as the kitchen and furnace room and also in hallways outside our bedrooms. With smoke alarms, you want the device to be as close to the problem as possible (and outside bedrooms if you are sleeping) for maximum reaction time.
Many people approach carbon monoxide alarms with the same mindset, but these alarms have two completely different placement methods. Unlike smoke alarms which should be placed near a potential fire source, you don’t want your carbon monoxide alarms to be placed near a furnace, wood burning stove, or any other device that may produce carbon monoxide. You’ll get nothing but false positives if you place too close to sources of carbon monoxide.
Carbon monoxide alarm installation is more about monitoring and being warned about hazardous levels of the gas, unlike smoke alarms which are meant for detection of a major problem. Carbon monoxide alarms should be placed outside of every bedroom for the greatest benefit.
Carbon monoxide alarms are designed to constantly monitor the levels of this dangerous gas in your home. In addition, they monitor for long-term, low concentrations of the gas as well as short-term, high concentrations. This ensures maximum detection benefit and safety.
In fact, carbon monoxide alarm placement should be in areas of the home well away from any false positives so that you always have true readings of concentration levels. The CSA requires that all carbon monoxide alarms alarm at 70 ppm (parts per million) concentration. This is the danger zone.
Proper Carbon Monoxide Alarm Installation Saves Lives
When properly installed, replaced and maintained, carbon monoxide alarms can save lives. Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless. It’s a vicious, silent killer, so proper carbon monoxide alarm placement is an absolute must, especially with the April 15, 2015 deadline fast approaching.
There are many possible sources of carbon monoxide in your home. If you have any devices or appliances that burn fuel, then you have CO. The most common source of carbon monoxide is your furnace, or your gas fireplace. Carbon Monoxide is formed through incomplete burning of carbon fuels. Common household appliances such as gas water heaters and stoves all produce the gas. So does automobile exhaust. Burning wood, coal, or natural gas all contribute to carbon monoxide levels.
The amount of carbon monoxide needed to poison a person varies according to age and weight. Carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin in your blood causing the body to not receive enough oxygen. There are occasionally some symptoms that might raise alarm bells. Headaches, dizziness, fatigue and nausea can be symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. IF you ever suspect that you are experiencing carbon monoxide poisoning get out of your home and call 911.
[tweetthis]IF you ever suspect that you are experiencing carbon monoxide poisoning get out of your home and call 911.[/tweetthis]
What can you do to keep your family safe?
- It’s important to schedule regular maintenance for your furnace to keep your household safe. Furnaces are a leading cause of carbon monoxide poisoning indoors.
- Always clear debris from your chimney and have it cleaned or checked regularly.
- Don’t leave your car running in a confined space.
- Don’t ever use a barbecue indoors.
- And remember to follow the new Ontario deadline and make sure carbon monoxide alarm installation is done properly to protect you and your loved ones. April 15th is the deadline in Ontario. It’s the law, Ontario!
- Check your carbon monoxide alarms and be sure they are in working order. Any manufactured prior to 2008 should now be replaced.
- For additional protection be sure to place a CO alarm on every floor of your home.
- Help elderly relatives to check that their CO alarms are in working order and placed appropriately.
For maximum, worry-free protection, Kidde Canada offers a sealed lithium battery carbon monoxide alarm with a 10 year life span. That’s 10 years of no worrying or battery replacement. Make sure your carbon monoxide alarm installation is correct, and your family can rest easy.
[tweetthis]Make sure your carbon monoxide alarm installation is correct, and your family can rest easy.[/tweetthis]
For more information on Ontario’s carbon monoxide law you can visit here: NEW Ontario Carbon Monoxide Alarm Law. or www.endthesilence.ca/
This is a sponsored conversation about family safety and Ontario’s new carbon monoxide alarm installation rules.