Working smoke detectors in your home is critical for early detection of a fire. In the United States, more than 2,000 people lose their lives every year to residential fires. About two-thirds of those deaths occur in homes that do not have smoke detectors or do not have working smoke detectors. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends that smoke detectors should be installed properly and maintained on every level of the home, outside sleeping areas, and inside bedrooms.
All smoke detectors require regular testing and cleaning to ensure it is working properly. Testing should be conducted at least once per month. Batteries should be replaced once a year and you should replace your smoke detector every 10 years.
We know that smoke detectors save lives, but very few know how important it is to have Carbon Monoxide detectors in your home.
about 170 people in the United States die every year from accidental non-fire related CO poisoning associated with non-automotive consumer products. This includes generators and faulty, improperly used or incorrectly-vented fuel burning appliances such as furnaces, stoves, water heaters and fireplaces.
Symptoms of low level CO Poisoning can be confused with other illnesses including flu and food poisoning. Some symptoms include shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness, lightheaded or headaches. Exposure to high levels of CO can cause mental confusion, vomiting, loss or muscular coordination, loss of consciousness within minutes and ultimately death.
You can help to prevent CO poisoning in your home by installing Carbon Monoxide detectors in the hallway outside the bedrooms. Detectors can be installed into a plug-in receptacle or high on the wall. Any hard-wired or plug-in detectors should have a battery back-up. Remember to change the batteries yearly and to replace every 10 years.
For more information on how you can protect your family from this invisible killer visit https://www.cpsc.gov/safety-education/safety-education-centers/carbon-monoxide-information-center/protect-your-family-from-carbon-monoxide-poisoning--