Wednesday, December 31, 2008

CO detectors

To all of you who don't have a CO detector in your house: please get one!

Last night my husband and I were woken up by three sharp beeps. It was obviously not the fire alarm, but the sound was loud enough, and sharp enough, that we were immediately awake. We went out into the hall to discover that the CO (carbon monoxide) detector was registering high enough to be a danger, and we immediately started ventilating the downstairs. I then took it upstairs to make sure that there wasn't any CO upstairs and to check on the kids. I had taken the upstairs CO detector out of the outlet because my daughter (still a toddler) continued to take it out and play with it, thereby setting it off. No more! She will just have to learn to leave it alone.

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that is highly toxic. It is found in many places in the house including, but not limited to, properly adjusted gas stoves (5-15 ppm), wood burning chimneys (5,000 ppm), undiluted car exhaust without a catalytic converter (7,000 ppm), and undiluted cigarette smoke (30,000 ppm). Our CO detector usually registers when the truck is started in the garage, but doesn't usually go above 45 ppm. Last night it was high enough to set off the alarm, and was at 62 ppm before I opened the garage door. This gas kills people every year, and is now legally required in all houses in Anchorage. Yes, the price is higher than any of us want to pay, but isn't it worth it to save you, your family, and your pets? Please consider this piece of equipment just as important as your fire alarm, and remember to change the batteries regularly!