Fire Alarm Company New Orleans | Understanding Carbon Monoxide Detectors
There is a good reason why as a local burglar and fire alarm company, we recommend having carbon monoxide detectors. Every year, emergency rooms see 50,000 cases of carbon monoxide poisoning. Nearly 500 people will accidentally die from it each year— something that’s completely preventable by using this simple technology.
What is a Carbon Monoxide Detector?
Carbon monoxide detectors, or CO alarms, are designed to detect and warn of a build-up of carbon monoxide. Fire alarm companies typically place them in rooms where fuel-burning appliances such as gas ovens, fireplaces, heaters, and more are used.
Dangers of Carbon Monoxide in New Orleans
All of us here in New Orleans are aware of the danger that hurricanes bring to our beautiful city. Carbon monoxide poisoning has proven to be a significant danger in hurricane aftermath, resulting in deaths and hospitalizations of local New Orleans residents.
After hurricanes have damaged critical infrastructure, electrical power outages are typical. This leaves many to turn to gas-powered generators. Whether it’s the portable kind or an installed whole-house generator, it can be fatal if the fumes aren’t properly vented or there’s a breeze blowing in the wrong direction.
Where Carbon Monoxide Comes From
A carbon monoxide detector is the best indicator if one of your appliances is producing CO because it isn’t working properly. Many appliances that produce heat, can also produce CO gas.
That includes common household devices such as:
- Stoves powered by gas
- Clothes dryers powered by gas
- Water heaters powered by gas
- Vehicles and lawn equipment powered by gas that’s stored/started in the garage
- Fuel-fired furnaces
- Fireplaces and wood stoves
How Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Affects You
Knowing if carbon monoxide or other lethal gasses are present, is essential to your family’s health and safety. Poisoning can happen in as little as 2 hours, and it can take several hours to flush from the body, which can be a long time for additional damage to take effect.
Carbon Monoxide (CO) is completely undetectable without a security device that’s designed to detect it. It’s colorless, tasteless, odorless, and poisonous. Not even a dog can smell it.
Even low levels of prolonged exposure can lead to neurological symptoms such as difficulty thinking or concentrating. This means having proper detection devices in your home is a life or death situation.
If any of the members of your household experience symptoms of poisoning, it’s vital to see an emergency room physician immediately. Warning signs of carbon monoxide poisoning are often described as flu-like, with common symptoms such as:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Weakness
- Upset stomach
- Vomiting
- Chest pain
- Confusion
For more information on Carbon Monoxide poisoning, you can visit the CDC’s website.
Monitored Home Security Save Lives
Monitored carbon monoxide detectors catch the earliest warning signs before they start increasing to dangerous levels. When a monitored CO detector is triggered, it’ll notify you and the authorities, giving your family enough time to get to safety before anyone in your home suffers from the dangerous symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Carbon Monoxide detector systems are designed to be stable with changing temperatures and humidity to avoid false alarms.
A central monitoring system will alert you of a problem in your home even when you’re not there as well as activate emergency first responders.
A monitored CO detector provides many benefits to keep your home safe, even to those who may not be able to respond to an alarm themselves. This includes the elderly, disabled, children, pets, and anyone already experiencing the debilitating effects of CO poisoning.
Fire Alarm Companies understand Local Recommendations
Local Fire Department protocol recommends placing one monitored smoke and carbon monoxide detector in every room of your home. It’s important to have a system that can alert you of a carbon monoxide present before any damage is done to you or your family’s health. Should you experience an active CO alarm from your detector, immediately open all windows and doorways to ventilate and circulate fresh air throughout your home and allow the poisonous gasses to exit.
New Orleans Fire Alarm Companies Near Me
As a locally owned and operated fire alarm company, ABC Fire and Burglar Alarm proudly serves New Orleans, Metairie, Kenner, Laplace, Destrehan, Luling, Houma, Harvey, Gretna, Belle Chasse, Chalmette, Slidell, Mandeville, Covington, Hammond, and surrounding areas.
For More information, contact us today to receive a free quote.
