How Do You Read a Carbon Monoxide Detector?
Colorless, odorless and without taste, carbon monoxide is nevertheless extremely toxic. Carbon monoxide is often developed as a byproduct of internal combustion engines, home furnaces and other appliances. While most homeowners maintain fire alarms, not as many are familiar with the need for a carbon monoxide detector, let alone how to use one properly. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Put a 9-volt battery in your carbon monoxide detector. This may seem obvious, except for the fact that carbon monoxide detectors are most frequently plugged into the wall. The battery is used exclusively for back-up purposes.
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Install your detector as low to the ground as possible. Since carbon monoxide is a heavier particle than air, it tends to settle on the floor and build upwards in the room. Plug your carbon monoxide detector into a lower wall socket for the best possible readings.
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Test the alarm. Press the button on the face of your carbon monoxide detector. A piercing shriek should issue from the device. If the sound is faint or nonexistent, you may have a faulty detector or electrical socket.
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Check the ppm (parts per million) digital display. If the meter consistently reads higher than 50 ppm then you may have a potentially dangerous source of carbon monoxide in the house. Increases up to 100 ppm for short periods of time can occur if there is a cigarette smoker in the house. A sustained 100 ppm may eventually set off the alarm, while a few minutes exposure to 400 ppm or greater will set off an alarm.
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Replace batteries every two to three years and chemical pads every ten years. The diagnostic tools that a reader uses to detect the presence of carbon monoxide can wear out after seven to ten years, necessitating either the purchase of a refill or the replacement of the device.
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Tips & Warnings
Place one detector outside of each bedroom and in common spaces.
