That family that died in the vacation rental condo this week due to a gas leak fitting on the hot water heated prompted me to buy two new KIDDE brand carbon monoxide detectors off Amazon today. I have had one in the house, but its old and they expire - I’m sure mine is way beyond the due date. So here’s a reminder to check yours - and if you don’t have one (or more), please get them.
Duane Collie
Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
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It may not be a bad idea to carry a battery operated one with oneself when travelling as well.
The detectors do expire. I once had a mystery alarm beeping that I couldn't trace after replacing almost all of my smoke detector batteries. During a long conversation with my security alarm company trying to figure out what was causing the beeping, the kind and patient gentlemen on the other end of the line asked if I had a carbon monoxide detector. As I sheepishly said "yes" and looked down at the detector plugged into the wall just a few feet away, I could already tell that was the source of the beeping. The unit was at the end of its life. I immediately went out and upgraded to a model that detects both carbon monoxide and natural gas and includes a digital reading of levels detected. I strongly suggest that anyone with natural gas especially look into the combo models.
Also, a lot of detectors have both plug-in and battery back-up, so like theBee suggested, I'm going to consider traveling with one as well.
I think its worthwhile to mention that the reason why I already had a carbon monoxide detector in my house was because my family had a carbon monoxide emergency when I was in my teens. Luckily, it was during the day, my parents realized something was wrong, and the fire department was able to locate the source of the gas. The fix was immediate, and we did not have to go anywhere else that night. But my Dad did go to the hardware store that afternoon and got a detector starting that night. I have never been in an apartment or house without one since then, and I don't like to think about what could have happened if that emergency occurred at night when we were all sleeping. My heart goes out to the relatives that lost their family in Mexico.
I agree and think everyone should have at least one of these in their home in good working order. I have two in my place with the main one is located near the door to the garage because the garage along with the vehicles also has my gas water heater and furnace.