Do You Have a Carbon Monoxide Detector?
 

Just thought I'd post a reminder for everyone to get one of these. One of my neighbors recently had an incident w/ their water heater (10 yr old home) where it was releasing carbon monoxide....thank God they had a detector or the whole family could've died!

If you don't have one, get one!

Good reminder Ann.
Yep, 3 of them one at each end of the house one in living room. Change battery when we do the time change. Smoke detectors also.

Yep I sure do. I have 5 of them through out the house. Carbon Monoxide is one thing that scares the crap out of me.

Yes, for sure. I lost my mom and her friend to carbon monoxide poisoning and I went right out and bought three of them for my house after that. We make sure they are in good working order. I just wish my mom had had them.

We do not have any. We keep saying we're going to get one (or two) but we keep putting it off. We also want to get one for radon gas.

Am working on my third one now. For years I had two monitoring at once and both were several years old when one went off one Sunday so I got Jilly out back, opened windows and called the fire department from the car, where we waited for them to come. They came and ran the test all over the house - normal. Said that particular model of CMD's had a high rate of false positives so I got a new one.

Do you remember the name of the one that had the false positive so I dont go out and get that one when I replace these detectors?

I think it was a First Alert but I don't remember the model number. It used a 9 volt battery, had the apparatus that you screw onto the wall and then place the smoke alert onto it with a twisting motion and click it into place, just like so many of them. It was at least 12 or more years ago that I bought it so I'm sure they've fixed that model or changed it by now, especially if fire departments complained of false alarms. And it did work well for several years before it misfired and the other one - the same model - never did before I finally disposed of it. I replaced it with a Kidde.

:thumbup:o:thumbup::thumbup: Make sure they're outside every bedroom and definitely by your heater. They say to install them low to the floor because the gas is so heavy.

And on every level, including the basement.

Thanks for posting that. We have one but it's like 4ft up. It was installed by some group that helps senior citizens (my grandmom). They also didn't put one down the basement where the heater is.

Be sure to change the batteries in the ones in your RV's too.

I had the same thing happen! My water heater was the culprit, too!

When I bought my lil house, i still had my big house that I lived at. I would go over and work on projects at the little house, and I was exhausted....always tired. I didn't think much of it, as I was working full-time and then working at the lil house at nights and weekends..it made sense I'd be tired.

Then one evening, I fell asleep there. After repeatedly not answering my phone, my mum came over to the lil house to check on me. She was worried I'd fallen off a ladder or something. She woke me up and knew something was wrong, and took me to the emergency clinic, thinking I had a bad case of the flu. The nurse upon hearing my mum 's account about me being so tired working at the lil house, knew right away what it was and tested my blood oxygen level.

The local energy company assumed it was the furnace, but it was the water-heater! It was improperly vented, with dryer vent flex pipe. At sometime prior, the water heater had been moved, and the water pipes extended with red& blue flex pipe, and the vent extended with dryer vent flexible tubing. I got a new water heater, and all is good. Mum bought a carbon monoxide detector that week, and I've had one ever since. I recommend everyone have at least one in there home.

Mom to the rescue - thank God for worried Moms who act on that worry!!! What a close call you had - without Mom you just wouldn't have awakened on this earth or if you had, you likely couldn't have gotten help on your own. Wow. I'll bet you never stop thanking her every way you can.

We have one that is on the stairs to the basement. Sounds like we need to get a couple more! Scary...

I have one and I actually installed it myself. , I was so proud lol

I am so sorry you lost your mom and her friend this way. :cry:

Thank you Ann for the reminder to have a detector.

I am so very sorry :(. What a tragic loss for you and your family. Just heartbreaking!

I'm so glad you were/are okay, my gosh, scary!

We have one but do we need more?


My house was built in 2012 and so had to have certain things fitted due to regulations. Do you think they only provided one because the system is all that it requires? We have radiators for heat and an electric stove.


My ignorance is showing!!!!

Thank you Kristin and Ann. The cold November day I stopped by my mom's house and discovered them I had a terrible cold and when I looked through the window I saw them "sleeping" on the couch. They wouldn't wake up to my knocking so I let myself in with my key. The house was full of obnoxious smelling gas fumes but I couldn't smell them because of my cold. I was carrying my little dog I had at the time and I almost set her down so I could go wake them up. I am so glad I didn't because she may have hid from me and succumbed to the fumes. I immediately went into shock and was not thinking clearly enough to realize what was going on. Since they both seemed to be gone I thought they had been murdered.

This was so traumatic for me that I was in shock and had something like amnesia for a year and a half. I couldn't even remember my phone number or address. I could barely get up and get dressed and function. It was just a couple of years earlier on a hot summer night that mom and I were sitting on her front porch in shock that one of her neighbors across the street and a few doors down had died from carbon monoxide poisoning. I can still remember the horror we felt over it. Both of these incidents were from cars accidentally left running in the basement. They could both been prevented had they had carbon monoxide detectors.

I am only telling my story here so that people will realize the importance of having a good working carbon monoxide detector in your home. It could very well save your family's life. I just cry inside every time I see another family dies from carbon monoxide poisoning. It still hurts to think about it and talk about it.

Jean, such a tragic loss, and very traumatic. It's no wonder you were in shock. :( Thank you for sharing your story.

Misty, even brand new houses should have a detector. Everything may be up to code, but all it takes is a little problem with any appliance that uses gas. Do you have gas for the radiant heat?

I'm so heartbroken for you :(. I'm so sorry you have to have to live with these painful memories...I can't imagine.

Thanks for sharing your experience - you never know the ripple effect it could have.

Thank you again Kristin and Ann. You never think something like this can happen to you but it can and does. Carbon monoxide is a silent killer that can wipe out your entire family while you sleep. Sorry for the graphic, but it is true. Ann, thank you so much for starting this thread. It is a very important reminder that everyone should have one or more carbon monoxide detectors in their home.

I'm so sorry for your loss. How devastating to find them yourself.

There was no smell at my house...no gas smell...nothing! I was just tired and had a headache more than usual, which I attributed to my busy schedule and the extra hours I was putting in working at the lil house. That's what I want people to know. It's not like a gas leak. It's not like the exhaust smell of a car running. You don't smell it, you don't see it, so there is no warning. You need a carbon monoxide detector to detect it.

I now have three detectors. One in my basement, near my furnace and new water heater, one on my main floor (1 story house) and one in my breezeway that is between my house and garage.

If you don't have at least one carbon monoxide detector in your home, and you're reading this, please go buy yourself one this weekend.

Karen, I am so glad that your story didn't end in tragedy. So glad that your mom was suspicious when you didn't answer the phone. You brought up a good point....there is no odor. I am still confused why my mom and her friend didn't smell the stinky odor of car exhaust. Maybe the poisonous fumes got to them before the exhaust smell did. I'm glad that you are spreading the message of the importance of carbon monoxide detectors. Think of the lives that you may be saving.

Hiya xxxx We have one detector in the kitchen. The radiators use water for heat.


The boiler and stove use gas and are both in the kitchen with the detector.


So, assume that is ok?


Doodlebug - I'm so sorry for your loss and words cannot express the depth of it but I hope you know and sending you big hugs for sharing since I am sure that was hard for you but has benefit so many....xxxx


Very unselfish and caring of you x

Thank you, Misty, that means so very much to me. I was hesitant to post but I want so much for people to realize that it is important to have carbon monoxide detectors, just as it is for smoke detectors. My mom and her dear friend did not have to die. Two families and their many friends were devastated by this tragedy that didn't have to happen. It is so hard to accept.

Is the boiler what heats the water in the radiators?

I think you should be okay, but it might be helpful to have 2 detectors just for added coverage in terms of square footage and as a backup.

Yep, you've got it! Yes, I think you're right. I may get another one for extra assurance but at least I think I can sleep well tonight..


Thank you!

I used to own a heating company, we tested several brands with varying amounts of CO. There is a wide range of quality, very poor to good. Before buying a CO detector be sure to check with Consumer Reports or another trusted outfit for one that actually works. Otherwise, you'll just be wasting your money and it will give you a false sense of security. Since brands change in quality over time, I can't/won't make a specific recommendation.