The HVAC equipment used in our homes is very safe, but accidents and malfunctions can happen in even the best system, turning your fuel-burning furnace into a source of deadly poison. To combat this danger, you should have one or more carbon monoxide detectors installed in your home. Once the detectors are installed, you should regularly check them to make sure they are working properly.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is an extremely dangerous exhaust gas produced as a by-product of combustion. It has no odor, taste or color. CO can be harmful to your health, and in the right concentration, it can kill.
Normally, this dangerous gas is safely vented away from your indoor living environment via your furnace’s chimney or ventilation system. However, if this ventilation malfunctions or is damaged, carbon monoxide can escape into your home, where it presents an extreme danger to life and health. Most carbon monoxide deaths occur when people are exposed to the gas as they sleep.
You should install a carbon monoxide detector outside each bedroom or sleeping area on each floor of your home. Also put a CO detector at each end of your home and over any attached garage. Avoid putting detectors near fuel-burning appliances or equipment since these items could emit enough CO to cause a false alarm.
Check your CO detectors regularly to make sure they are in good working condition:
- Use the unit’s test button at least monthly to check for proper operation.
- Put fresh batteries in the unit at least once a year, most appropriately at the beginning of heating season.
- If you use detectors that are hard-wired into your home’s electrical system, make sure they have a battery back-up in case your home loses power.
Arpi’s Industries Ltd. is dedicated to the comfort and safety of our heating, cooling and home comfort customers in Calgary and the surrounding communities. Contact us today for more information on the importance of carbon monoxide detectors in your home and for additional tips on installing, maintaining and servicing the carbon monoxide detectors that keep you and your family safe from danger.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Calgary, Alberta about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about carbon monoxide detectors and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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