Smart vs. Plug-In Carbon Monoxide Detectors: How to Select the Best Carbon Monoxide Detector for Your Residence
As autumn gets closer, now is a great time to start thinking about your residence’s carbon monoxide detectors. When heating season starts, the Centers for Disease Control says the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning builds.
Carbon monoxide is a harmful gas that’s colorless, odorless and tasteless. It’s a byproduct of combustion your gas furnace uses to heat your house. When your heating is operating properly, the gas is safely pushed outside of your house. Cracks in your furnace’s heat exchanger or flue pipes can cause carbon monoxide to leak into your home, where long-term exposure can be lethal.
Regardless of the fact carbon monoxide poisoning is preventable, the CDC says at least 430 people in the U.S. die from it every year. And another approximately 50,000 people visit the ER because of related issues, including headaches, dizziness and vomiting.
The best ways you can help your home is by organizing yearly maintenance of all gas, oil, or wood burning appliances, like your furnace and water heater, and installing a carbon monoxide detector. From plug-in to smart carbon monoxide detectors, there’s a model available that fits for your residence and budget.
Smart Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Smart carbon monoxide detectors, like the Nest carbon monoxide detector, make it simple to keep on top of keeping your family safe. They’re often offered as combination carbon monoxide and smoke detectors and can generally be synced with other smart home devices via Wi-Fi.
Here are a few other benefits of using them in your home:
- Alerts you that there’s an issue through voice notifications, as well as alerts on your phone.
- Locates the problem area, such as the kitchen or basement.
- Can be silenced from your phone.
- Automatically reviews its sensors and batteries and explains findings through a useful report on your phone.
- Notifies you of dying batteries with an alert on your phone, not a loud chirp in the middle of the night.
- Lasts up to 10 years, depending on the brand.
The only problem with using Wi-Fi carbon monoxide detectors is the expense. These detectors are often much pricier than their plug-in or battery-powered counterparts. But they also offer many helpful and important features you don’t get in a non-smart device.
When you’re installing a new device, it’s vital to understand where to attach carbon monoxide detectors. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends putting a carbon monoxide detector approximately five feet above the floor or on the ceiling. This is since carbon monoxide can rise with warm air.
We advise having a detector on each floor of your residence, including outside bedrooms. You’ll want to make sure the noise will wake you up.
Battery-Powered and Plug-In Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Plug-in and battery-powered carbon monoxide detectors are the most reasonable. A couple of the most popular styles are Kidde carbon monoxide detectors and First Alert carbon monoxide detectors.
But they also have fewer features that don’t link with your phone or smart home devices. They generally have a digital display and test button, which you’ll have to remember to use.
The National Fire Protection Association suggests testing hardwired carbon monoxide alarms every month. Battery-powered detectors that don’t plug in need to be tested every week. If you’re concerned about how to test for carbon monoxide, it’s pretty simple. Use the button to be certain your detector is working.
If your detector is hardwired, make sure to swap the backup battery at least once a year. If it’s battery-powered, you’ll want to change it once a month to skip the irritating chirp in the middle of the night.
If you’re getting a chirp or your carbon monoxide detector is beeping intermittently, it often indicates it has a low battery. Or, it’s approaching the end of its life. How long carbon monoxide detectors work depends on the brand you have. Most often, it’s between 5–10 years, but make sure to check instructions from your system’s manufacturer.
If you’re concerned about why your carbon monoxide detector is beeping, it’s frequently due to the fact it’s sensing dangerous concentration of carbon monoxide. If your carbon monoxide detector is going off with steady, loud beeping, leave your residence as quickly as possible and contact 911.
Now is a good time to ensure your carbon monoxide detector is working as it should before heating season begins. If you need to set up furnace maintenance or you’re interested in upgrading to smart carbon monoxide detectors, the Experts at Donelson Air Service Experts can provide support. Get in touch with us at 615-953-9885 today and we’ll help you pick the ideal carbon monoxide detector for your residence.
