A carbon monoxide monitor is a must to detect dangerous levels of the deadly gas in your home.
But if you don't have an emergency plan, then all the alarms in the world aren't going to help you! Here's what you need to do when your carbon monoxide monitor goes off.
Before you do anything, check and see if it really is your carbon monoxide monitor, and not your smoke detector that is sounding.
They are often installed in the same area, and often sound similar.
Next, get everyone in the house together and check for carbon monoxide poisoning.
Quickly find out if any of them are experiencing headaches, nausea, dizziness or confusion.
If they are, get them out of the house and into the fresh air immediately and call emergency services.
Carbon monoxide poisoning can be diagnosed with a blood test, so be sure to have that done.
Ventilate the house.
Open all the doors and windows to let the gas dissipate.
Next, turn off all of your gas appliances and make sure any open flames are put out.
This includes cigarettes, pilot lights...
anything that is combustible.
If you can, shut off the main valve.
It's a good idea to have a map of all gas appliances in the home, such as space heaters, dryers and such, so that you know where to go without having to think about it.
If your carbon monoxide monitor keeps going off, or you aren't sure where the leak is coming from, get out of the house and call the fire department and your gas company.
Keep emergency numbers in your cell phone, or somewhere outside of the house so that they are accessible, such as your car.
Have your connections, vents, pipes and such checked by a professional.
Start with your furnace, and work your way through all of your appliances until you find the source of the leak.
It's a good idea to have a regular maintenance plan to make sure everything is operational and up to code.
Having a carbon monoxide monitor is just one component of carbon monoxide safety.
Annual maintenance, and an established emergency plan, will help you and your family stay safe.
After you install your monitor, develop a plan with your family and assign tasks, so that everyone knows exactly what to do and where to go in the event that your alarm goes off.
Being prepared and monitoring regularly will ensure that you are protected.