Carbon monoxide alarm

[b2bailey]

So, just sitting here relaxing when I hear a beeping sound and the words:
"WARNING carbon monoxide "

Never had this happen before, so I immediately opened doors and windows, looked at burner knobs on gas stove, and fortunately it stopped.

I called the emergency number for Apts where I live and was non-chalantly told.. " oh it must be the batteries are weak " and was told maintenance man would come over tomorrow to check.

I am feeling totally frazzled. Still have all the Windows open.

Has this ever happened to anyone? How would I know if it was a true alarm?

Feel like I will need to sleep with one eye open and one foot on the floor.

 

[DaveNV]

So, just sitting here relaxing when I hear a beeping sound and the words:
"WARNING carbon monoxide "

Never had this happen before, so I immediately opened doors and windows, looked at burner knobs on gas stove, and fortunately it stopped.

I called the emergency number for Apts where I live and was non-chalantly told.. " oh it must be the batteries are weak " and was told maintenance man would come over tomorrow to check.

I am feeling totally frazzled. Still have all the Windows open.

Has this ever happened to anyone? How would I know if it was a true alarm?

Feel like I will need to sleep with one eye open and one foot on the floor.

That's unnerving, for sure. Glad it was a false alarm. The carbon monoxide detector at my house plugs into an outlet. I've never even looked at it, and don't know if it's even working.

Dave

 

[wackymother]

We had our CO alarm go off years ago, and we actually called the fire department and they sent four huge trucks down our narrow street! It was not a false alarm, but it had to do with our gas stove, so as long as the stove was off, we were okay. We got a new stove.

The most useful thing I learned from this experience and about 30 firemen racing around my house is that you should get the kind of CO alarm that has a digital readout. That way if the alarm goes off, you can see the number and know what you're dealing with.

Landlords don't like to provide this kind of CO alarm bc it's more expensive than the kind that just buzzes. But I can tell you it saves a lot of panic when the battery wears off and you look and see that the number is zero.

 

[jd2601]

We just had this happen carbon monoxide detectors went off. Turned out fumes from primer for a construction project set them off. Still no one slept well and all windows were open.

 

[wackymother]

Btw, they also make alarms that monitor CO and cooking gas. If anyone in your house has a weak sense of smell, those are good too.

 

[moonstone]

Also keep in mind that all smoke & Carbon Monoxide alarms have a life span of anywhere from 5-7 or sometimes 10 years. In recent years both types must have the manufacture date stamped (or on a sticker) and the life expectancy or replace by date on the back. Both types of alarms are designed to beep (like a low battery warning) when reaching their end date.

If you do have a CO alarm go off it is important to keep the house closed up but get everybody out and call 911. By leaving the house closed up the fire dept can get a more accurate reading on both the levels of CO as well as a source. DH has gone on many calls where the people open up all the windows and doors while waiting for the firefighters to arrive. Of course the fresh air flowing in has diminished or eliminated the CO and finding the source (if is isn't an old alarm) is very difficult. CO mixes with room air and doesn't fall to, and lay in, low areas of a home so it is important to have your CO alarm in the sleeping/living areas of your home and not just in the basement or by a furnace.


~Diane

 

[Carta]

Few weeks ago we were awakened by a loud beep (4x)...I assumed it was low battery in smoke alarm..So I changed batteries in all 5 smoke alarms..We have the type that are electricity and battery...Never suspected CO2 alarm..I thought it was electricity-only...Come to find CO2 had dual battery/electricity...I happened to glance at CO2 and it read Lo Batt
Problem solved once I changed battery in CO2 alarm..My smoke alarm and CO2 are located just a few feet from each other.. Thought it was smoke alarm beeping

 

[Grammarhero]

Always good to have a carbon monoxide. Better safe than sorry!

430 people die per year from carbon monoxide poisoning. My in-law’s friend and his wife died. It was all very sad and depressing.

https://www.cdc.gov/dotw/carbonmonoxide/index.html

 

[Miss Marty]

*
Without a Carbon Monoxide detector, it's nearly impossible to detect carbon monoxide because it cannot be identified by a color, smell, sound or taste.

 

[rboesl]

A few weeks ago we had our alarms go off. We had 2 of the same kind plugged in at different ends of the house (we own a ranch). One went off about 6pm. I unplugged it, checked the battery but all was good. At about 4:00 am the other alarm by the bedrooms went off. This time we called 911 and vacated the house. Police arrived first. Then 15 minutes later a fire truck arrived (we have all volunteer fire dept). They went through the house with their detectors but found nothing. They examined the alarms and told us it was probably the "end of life" alarm that we heard. The alarms were 7 years old and should be replaced. I didn't know these things have a life expectancy. I read through the new alarm's manual but saw nothing about an "end of life" alarm. I guess I have 7 years before going through this again. Plenty of time to forget.