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What to Know about CO and CO Detectors

Most people purchase their CO detectors from their local retail store and install them without reading the manual to understand how their CO detector works and what to do when the alarm sounds.  Here's a brief summary of what we learned about CO and consumer CO detectors which led to the development of the CO/PRO:

  • Furnaces, water heaters, and boilers are major producers of carbon monoxide. 
  • People assume that since CO detectors look like smoke detectors they must operate the same way and will alarm as soon as CO gas is detected.  They don't.   CO detectors that are UL 2034-rated have specific levels of CO that must be present for a period of time before the detector is allowed to alarm.   
  • 30 ppm (parts per million) of CO must be present for at least 30 days before it will alarm
  • 70 ppm of CO must be present for 1-4 hours before it will alarm
  • 150 ppm of CO must be present for 10-50 minutes before it will alarm
  • 400 ppm of CO must be present for 4-15 minutes must be present before it will alarm
  • When homeowners were asked what they would do if their CO detector alarm activated while they were at home, the overwhelming  response we received was that they would "remove the batteries."   Doing this would restart the detector's timer, .
  • CO detector manuals we reviewed stated that the detector should be tested weekly. 
  • Multiple governmental agencies, regulatory agencies, public and private safety groups, and universities have differing opinions on CO exposure levels, including the EPA, OSHA, WHO, FEMA, ASHRAE, and more.
  • Many fire districts will have the occupants evacuate a building if the instantaneous CO level reading on their CO monitor is 35 ppm.  The Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute advises that homeowners should leave their homes immediately and stay out until repairs are made if CO levels are above 10 ppm.   
  • CO exposure levels, no matter which organization publishes their guidelines, present that the CO gas concentration levels are defined for healthy adults.   These CO levels do NOT apply to children, pregnant women, the elderly, people who are immunocompromised or have cancer, or those with allergies, breathing issues, heart issues, and other health conditions.  Carbon monoxide gas can have a greater impact on their health and life.
  • It's not just large levels of CO that cause death.  People can be poisoned by small amounts of CO over a long period of time. 
  • Exposure to low levels of CO can produce symptoms that mimic many common symptoms such as having a cold or flu, including headaches, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, and dizziness. 
  • Doctors don't normally test for exposure to CO. 
  • The 5 to 10-year rating on the consumer detector packaging can be confusing as it can apply to the battery life, lifespan of the CO sensor, or the device.
  • Always read the CO detector's manual.
  • CO detectors are not a replacement for properly maintaining your furnace. 


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