We can all agree that having smoke detectors installed in the home is a must. However, you might not know that Carbon Monoxide detectors are also vital to your safety, especially during the winter! 

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), when winter temperatures plummet, the heating system in the home runs for hours, which can put your home at a high risk of a carbon monoxide leak. Approximately 50,000 people in the U.S. visit the emergency room due to accidental carbon monoxide poisoning, and at least 430 people die from it. 

If your home does not have a working carbon monoxide detector, you need to call your electrician immediately to have one installed properly! 

The most dangerous thing about carbon monoxide poisoning is that it’s colorless and odorless, making it invisible. Even if you can escape before succumbing to this poison, you might experience symptoms like loss of balance, memory and vision loss, and eventually loss of consciousness. This can happen within 2 hours if you’re not careful. Carbon monoxide can affect your entire household, including your pets. Therefore, it’s wise to have your electrician install an alarm that alerts you of CO in the air, even when you’re away from home. 

At F.H. Furr, our electricians will help you decide on the best carbon monoxide alarm for your home. More often than not, we recommend the Nest Protect Smart Smoke and CO Alarm. This is because it detects smoke and carbon monoxide, so you don’t need to install separate systems. When a hint of danger is sensed, the alarm speaks in a friendly non-panic-inducing tone and glows yellow, so you can take the proper steps to evacuate without feeling the stress of the alarm continuously blaring through your home. The Nest Protect tells you where the danger is, pinpointing the room where the carbon monoxide is coming from. This will enable you to give the fire department the correct instructions should you need to. 

This detector is considered a “smart home” appliance, which means it connects to your devices so that you can get alerts and even silence it from anywhere. It’s also convenient as it lights up when you walk past, giving you a soft glow when you’re up late at night. If there is a severe emergency, such as a heavy flow of carbon monoxide, or an immediate, smoldering fire, it sounds a more intense alarm. It pulses red, once again, notifying you of where the emergency is located. 

Whether your electrician installs a Nest Protect or a more basic carbon monoxide alarm model, you must install a functioning alert system this winter! Want to learn more about electrical safety? Contact us today and have an electrician perform an electrical safety inspection of your home. This will maintain your system and inform you of potential hazards to keep your home and family safe this winter!