Hearing about illnesses and even worse due to carbon monoxide poisoning is just heartbreaking. It is the silent killer. What many homeowners may not know, is that carbon monoxide detectors are now required in all residential homes.
While this message was already posted, we wanted to share it again. This is SUCH a preventable problem. Here are the facts.
Carbon monoxide detectors are required within 10 feet of every sleeping area. Homeowners may also not know that the typical carbon monoxide detector purchased at the hardware store alarms at 77 parts per million. (Ppm) TOO LATE! What does this mean to you?
We believe that every homeowner should have a low-level carbon monoxide detector. After much research, we found one that will show a reading of 5 ppm and alarm at 15 ppm. Below are some facts about carbon monoxide levels.
9 ppm | Maximum allowable CO in living space for 8 hrs. (ASHRAE) |
15-30 ppm | First level reported to have harmful effects 50-ppm Maximum allowable concentration for continuous exposure for 8 hrs for healthy adults, as recommended by OSHA in a work environment |
70- ppm | First level UL approved alarms must go off within 2-3 hours THIS IS TOO LATE |
* ASHRAE—American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers
The new requirement can be confusing; what exactly does “within 10 feet of a sleeping area” mean? Do I have to have one in each room, or will one outside a hallway within 10 feet of two bedroom doors meet the regulation for those two rooms? We recommend every homeowner have at least one low level monitor in the house. I feel so strongly about this that I will be happy to speak directly to anyone directly. Give us a call and we can help you with your CO detector, and we can also take a look at your furnace and total home heating and cooling systems!