Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas which can be produced in our homes by several sources. It’s dangerous because inhaling it can cause serious health problems or even death, especially for people who have pre-existing heart conditions and respiratory difficulties. The good news is that many of the home carbon monoxide detectors are inexpensive and easy to install. Here are 5 reasons why a carbon monoxide detector should be installed in your home.
- To Detect Carbon Monoxide Before It Causes Serious Health Problems
You’ve probably heard about the dangers of carbon monoxide over the years. If you’re like most people, you probably think that carbon monoxide can only be fatal if someone isn’t wearing a mask in a house with a faulty furnace. But that’s not true. Carbon monoxide poisoning can kill you at any time, anywhere. Even when the source of carbon monoxide is well outside your home.
Carbon monoxide can enter the body through your nose and mouth when you breathe in fumes from a hot car engine or other internal combustion engines. In addition, it can also come into your body through the lungs during fires or accidents.
But even more alarming than these two ways of entering the body is the way that carbon monoxide can escape from your body — through your skin. Carbon monoxide has been known to travel easily through your skin. And since it doesn’t dissolve in water, it can make its way into the blood stream without your knowledge.
If the person will have to smell the carbon monoxide for the longer time the it might lead to the various health issues. To avoid the issues in the future, a person should try to go for the carbon monoxide detector went off on time. The decision taken by the person at the right time will give him with eth good results.
If you suspect that there might be a problem inside your home, check out some of the things listed below.
- Protect Your Home From Fire
Your home has many things that could contribute to a fire. You’ll want to protect that stuff from being destroyed by a fire. One way you can do this is by installing a carbon monoxide detector near an area where a fire might start.
- Save Lives
There have been numerous cases over the years where carbon monoxide has killed people. It’s one of the leading causes of accidental deaths in the United States. And it kills far fewer people each year than alcohol, automobile accidents and gun violence combined.
Even though it’s so deadly, it’s still something that people don’t really take seriously until they see their loved ones fall victim to it.
- Keep Your Furnace Working Properly
It’s important to keep your furnace working properly. That means making sure that it’s running efficiently and the parts are all cleaned regularly. Otherwise you run the risk of carbon monoxide filling up your entire house before you know it. Then it will be too late.
The only way to prevent that from happening is to have a carbon monoxide detector nearby. It will help alert you to the presence of carbon monoxide in your home, allowing you to act quickly to get rid of it.
- Save Money Over Time
A properly installed carbon monoxide detector can save you thousands of dollars over the course of your life.
In fact, it’s estimated that replacing a single home furnace every 20 years would cost you $7,000. But if you had a carbon monoxide detector installed in the same room as that furnace, it would only cost you $4,500!
That’s a huge savings. Especially considering that you’ll never have to pay another bill for your furnace ever again.
How Much Does A Carbon Monoxide Detector Cost?
While there aren’t any hard and fast guidelines for how much you should spend on a home carbon monoxide detector, it’s safe to say that you can expect to spend between $20-$80 per unit. Most people will go with the cheaper option of around $50 for a basic model.
However, you may find yourself tempted to spend more money if you want additional features, such as motion detection and/or smoke sensing capabilities. These features add an extra layer of protection to your system to better detect carbon monoxide leaks that may occur in places that you wouldn’t normally suspect.
If you choose to invest in a detector with these features, you can expect to pay upwards of $100 for them. So if you plan on spending more than this, then you may want to consider investing in a more expensive model instead.
What Happens When I Install A Carbon Monoxide Detector?
Once you’ve decided on what kind of carbon monoxide detector you’re going to buy, it’s time to decide where you’re going to put it. There is no set rule for where you should place your detector; however, most people opt to put theirs near the furnace in order to avoid false alarms.
This is because carbon monoxide detectors work best when they can be exposed to a steady flow of air. This is why they’re usually placed in areas where there is a steady supply of fresh air coming in.
But you may find that you need to move your detector so that it’s located closer to the point where the air is escaping. This is because the sensor itself can produce false readings if it’s located too close to a wall, a window or a door.
In order to figure out where you should locate your new detector, simply consult with an expert.
Should You Use Smoke Detection Feature Of Carbon Monoxide Detectors?
Most people don’t think about using the smoke feature on a carbon monoxide detector. But that’s actually a very good idea. Because carbon monoxide is invisible, it’s not always easy to tell whether or not there’s a leak unless you smell it first.
Smoke sensors can help you figure out whether or not a leak exists. They can also tell you when the leak has cleared up. And once you know that it’s okay to return to the area, you can rest assured that everything is safe.
But while a smoke detector is great, you shouldn’t rely on it alone. Because even though carbon monoxide is invisible, it does emit a strong amount of heat. And in case you haven’t noticed, the heat can be felt — just ask anyone who’s been trapped in a house full of carbon monoxide.
So if you don’t want to end up breathing in toxic fumes for hours on end, then you should use both smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors together.
