Provided your home’s well ventilated and your appliances are in good condition, you may never hear a sound from your CO detector. Inconspicuous as the device may be, though, it still requires regular care to protect your family from potentially fatal carbon monoxide exposure.

Summer CO Risks

Carbon monoxide (CO) is undetectable by sight or smell, but when inhaled it causes symptoms ranging from headache and nausea to unconsciousness and eventual death.

Summer in Peachtree City often means the use of equipment that produces CO gas, such as charcoal grills and gas-powered lawn equipment. When your windows are open, CO gas from equipment used outdoors can leak into your home.

A running vehicle parked near an open window is another summertime risk. Any time of year, a malfunctioning fuel-burning appliance such as a gas stove or water heater can expose you to CO.

Serving Your CO Detector

A few simple steps will ensure your detectors are ready and able to protect your family’s health.

Test your detector — Press the unit’s “test/reset” button once. If the detector is in good working order, it should beep loudly and flash a red light.

Replace the batteries — Weak batteries can prevent the unit from detecting carbon monoxide or from sounding the alarm when CO is detected. Once a year, put in fresh batteries.

Clean the detector — Vacuum out dust and cobwebs from the unit’s air vents to allow the free airflow necessary for the unit to detect any CO present in the room. Also ensure airflow to the unit isn’t obstructed by curtains or other items.

Replace old units — A carbon monoxide detector remains functional for between three to five years. Some have end-of-life alarms that let you know when a replacement is in order, but not all units have this feature. If you think your detector is more than four years old, replace it with a new one.

Could you use tips on finding the most reliable CO detectors? Need a professional maintenance checkup for your fuel-burning appliances? Then contact Powers Heating and Air in Peachtree City.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Peachtree City, Georgia and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

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