(NC) – Ontario's new law that requires homeowners (and landlords) to install at least one working carbon monoxide (CO) alarm outside sleeping areas (if there is any risk of CO exposure) has many health and safety officials breathing a sigh of relief. Many homeowners though, might be scratching their heads.
While smoke alarms have had more than 25 years to become part of any safe home, carbon monoxide alarms are a relatively new entry. Take a look at some valuable tips for protecting your family, since humans cannot see, smell, or taste this silent killer:
• Carbon monoxide gas has almost the same density as air. That means it mixes freely with it, rather than rising above it (like hot air) or falling below it (like cold air).
• Since carbon monoxide mixes with air, it means that a CO alarm can be installed anywhere: on the ceiling alone or as a combination smoke/CO alarm (battery powered or hardwired); down near floor-level (plug-in); or on a bookcase or shelf (battery power only).
• If you choose a plug-in or hardwired model, be sure it also has a battery backup. A power outage is not a good time to be unprotected.
• Symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure include feelings similar to the flu, without the fever. Another telltale sign that you may have carbon monoxide in your home is that you feel lethargic, nauseous and achy in the house but quickly feel better when you go out. Then, when you return, the flu-like symptoms return.
• Two of today's most popular CO alarm choices are: models that have battery backup and continuous (not push-button) digital displays that show you if low levels of the gas are present, allowing you to take corrective action before an emergency can happen; and, CO alarms that have sealed lithium batteries lasting 10 years from activation.
New models also feature a built-in “end of life” signal that tells you when 10 years are up and it is time to replace the entire unit.
“When you do the math, a homeowner can save about $40 during the 10-year lifespan of their alarm by switching to a worry-free model with a sealed lithium battery,” says Carol Heller, a home safety expert with alarm manufacturer Kidde Canada. “And since most homes have at least two smoke alarms and one CO alarm, the savings can really add up. On top of that, the freedom of never having to change batteries again is a real hit with homeowners.”
www.newscanada.com
Ontario's new law that requires homeowners (and landlords) to install at least one working carbon monoxide (CO) alarm outside sleeping areas (if there is any risk of CO exposure) has many health and safety officials breathing a sigh of relief. Many homeowners though, might be scratching their heads.
While smoke alarms have had more than 25 years to become part of any safe home, carbon monoxide alarms are a relatively new entry. Take a look at some valuable tips for protecting your family, since humans cannot see, smell, or taste this silent killer:
• Carbon monoxide gas has almost the same density as air. That means it mixes freely with it, rather than rising above it (like hot air) or falling below it (like cold air).
• Since carbon monoxide mixes with air, it means that a CO alarm can be installed anywhere: on the ceiling alone or as a combination smoke/CO alarm (battery powered or hardwired); down near floor-level (plug-in); or on a bookcase or shelf (battery power only).
• If you choose a plug-in or hardwired model, be sure it also has a battery backup. A power outage is not a good time to be unprotected.
• Symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure include feelings similar to the flu, without the fever. Another telltale sign that you may have carbon monoxide in your home is that you feel lethargic, nauseous and achy in the house but quickly feel better when you go out. Then, when you return, the flu-like symptoms return.
• Two of today's most popular CO alarm choices are: models that have battery backup and continuous (not push-button) digital displays that show you if low levels of the gas are present, allowing you to take corrective action before an emergency can happen; and, CO alarms that have sealed lithium batteries lasting 10 years from activation.
New models also feature a built-in “end of life” signal that tells you when 10 years are up and it is time to replace the entire unit.
“When you do the math, a homeowner can save about $40 during the 10-year lifespan of their alarm by switching to a worry-free model with a sealed lithium battery,” says Carol Heller, a home safety expert with alarm manufacturer Kidde Canada. “And since most homes have at least two smoke alarms and one CO alarm, the savings can really add up. On top of that, the freedom of never having to change batteries again is a real hit with homeowners.”
www.newscanada.com(NC) – Ontario's new law that requires homeowners (and landlords) to install at least one working carbon monoxide (CO) alarm outside sleeping areas (if there is any risk of CO exposure) has many health and safety officials breathing a sigh of relief. Many homeowners though, might be scratching their heads.
While smoke alarms have had more than 25 years to become part of any safe home, carbon monoxide alarms are a relatively new entry. Take a look at some valuable tips for protecting your family, since humans cannot see, smell, or taste this silent killer:
• Carbon monoxide gas has almost the same density as air. That means it mixes freely with it, rather than rising above it (like hot air) or falling below it (like cold air).
• Since carbon monoxide mixes with air, it means that a CO alarm can be installed anywhere: on the ceiling alone or as a combination smoke/CO alarm (battery powered or hardwired); down near floor-level (plug-in); or on a bookcase or shelf (battery power only).
• If you choose a plug-in or hardwired model, be sure it also has a battery backup. A power outage is not a good time to be unprotected.
• Symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure include feelings similar to the flu, without the fever. Another telltale sign that you may have carbon monoxide in your home is that you feel lethargic, nauseous and achy in the house but quickly feel better when you go out. Then, when you return, the flu-like symptoms return.
• Two of today's most popular CO alarm choices are: models that have battery backup and continuous (not push-button) digital displays that show you if low levels of the gas are present, allowing you to take corrective action before an emergency can happen; and, CO alarms that have sealed lithium batteries lasting 10 years from activation.
New models also feature a built-in “end of life” signal that tells you when 10 years are up and it is time to replace the entire unit.
“When you do the math, a homeowner can save about $40 during the 10-year lifespan of their alarm by switching to a worry-free model with a sealed lithium battery,” says Carol Heller, a home safety expert with alarm manufacturer Kidde Canada. “And since most homes have at least two smoke alarms and one CO alarm, the savings can really add up. On top of that, the freedom of never having to change batteries again is a real hit with homeowners.”
www.newscanada.com
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