There are more house fires and carbon monoxide deaths in cold weather for the simple reason that it is the season we use our fossil-fuel heating equipment. Fall is one of the best times to test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors before starting up your heating system. If your home does not have smoke detectors, get one or more and install them right away. They are not expensive and could save you or your family’s life! Follow the standards in current building code: there should be a detector in every sleeping room. As to CO detectors, code doesn’t currently require them, but they also are not too expensive, and also should be located in each sleeping room.
Start your test process by cleaning the detectors. Remove the cover, and gently use a vacuum brush attachment to clean the inner workings to remove dust and maybe spider webs. Clean the cover, too. Or you may gently brush the detector innards and cover with a soft paint brush.
Both smoke and CO detectors have test buttons on them. Simply push and briefly hold down the button to test the alarm function. For smoke alarms, it’s a good idea to also light a candle, place it under and near the detector, and then snuff out the flame to produce some smoke. Let the smoke drift into the detector and it should sound off after a brief period. That way, you know the smoke sensor is actually working. After the alarm sounds fan fresh air into the detector to get it to shut off the alarm. Be sure you do not try the smoke test on detectors connected to your central security system because it likely will summon the fire department and you may have to pay for a false alarm call. There’s no practical way for a homeowner to actually produce carbon monoxide to test the CO detector sensor, so you must rely on the button test.
Smoke detectors will usually sound off when there is visible smoke. And if there is smoke in the house, get your family outside and call the fire department! Carbon monoxide on the other hand is odorless and not visible. If a CO detector goes off, trust the alarm even though you cannot see anything. Get the family out of the house and call the fire department! Firemen prefer to respond to your call and see you safe than see you wheeled out of your home in a body bag.
If your smoke or CO detectors have batteries or are 120 volt with battery back-up, it’s a great idea to install fresh batteries with each change to or from daylight savings time.
You and your family can rest easily knowing your detectors are on guard protecting you.
Labels: co detectors, Georgia, test and clean smoke detectors
# posted by
Brian Vanderhoff @ 9:44 AM
