What design features should I look to in a Co detector?
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
What design features should I look to in a Co detector?
Good quality Co electronic detectors have a easily heard alarm and are kite marked to British Standards. Look for a very very loud alarm and five year battery life as minimum requirements in a Co detector. Cheaper Co sensors have a colored spot that changes colour when Carbon Monoxide Gas levels rise and these should not be used in preference to a battery alarm. Colour change sensors do not have an hearable alarm and cannot alert you the moment there is a problem. Also they only last for 6 months and the lower price can be a false economy. The lack of the audible alarm in a chemical detector means that this type of alarm cannot alert you at night when you are asleep. Many types of shops carry these sensors and smoke alarms also.
Are Co electronic detectors available in the stores?
Domestic Co poisoning can be prevented by the use of home Carbon Monoxide sensors. Several different and relatively inexpensive detectors are available in stores. Co detectors trigger an alarm based on an accumulation of Co over time. The engineering for these electronic sensors is still developing, they are not considered as reliable as the smoke electronic detectors you use in your home. You should ensure you have regular servicing of your appliances and treat your Carbon Monoxide Gas detector as a secondary, backup measure. It is not your first line of defence.
Co electronic sensors must be tried out frequently
Your safety is dependent upon your detector so regularly check it is functioning properly. Carbon Monoxide sensors should be installed, checked and serviced in line with the manufacturer’s instructions. sensors should be checked monthly and replaced if problems are found. When you use the ‘test’ button on the detector you need to be aware that you will be testing the alarm functionality rather than the gas detector. You should note when the detector needs to be replaced, some have an operating life of only forty-eight months. There are Co electronic detectors that last 5 years and have power supply backups — you need to check to see whether a particular model has the features you require Some sensors incorporate smoke detection and also Carbon Monoxide gas detection. They will have their own installation instructions which you should follow closely.
Installing a Co detector
Early warning of heightened Carbon Monoxide levels provided by installing a Carbon Monoxide Gas detector can ensure that fatalities do not occur. The levels at which Carbon Monoxide electronic sensors are triggered are measured against the level of gas that would start to harm a healthy adult. As such you need to act quickly when children could have been exposed to the emissions as they can be harmed by lower levels of the gas. Whilst smoke detectors need to be installed high on the wall or near the ceiling a Co detector can be installed lower down. Make sure that you will be woken should your Co detector go off whilst you are asleep. Install the alarm near your sleeping areas.
