The cold weather has arrived. Is your home ready for winter? In addition to scheduling preventive maintenance for your heating equipment, it’s important that you have a functional carbon monoxide monitor in place. 

How do I choose a carbon monoxide monitor?

In addition to sounding an alarm when carbon monoxide (CO) levels reach a dangerous level in your home, carbon monoxide monitors provide the actual readouts of the air’s current CO levels. This can help you to keep an eye on your home safety, and it can also provide helpful information to emergency responders to alert them of the level of exposure that you and your loved ones may have suffered. It’s smart to select monitors which are UL certified. Your HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) contractor can help you to choose and use the right CO monitor for your home.

Why do I need a carbon monoxide monitor?

Because CO is colorless and odorless, its critical that you aware its presence in your home. Prolonged exposure to high levels can result in serious health issues, and even death. Symptoms of CO poisoning include fatigue, headache, confusion, nausea and vomiting, but with the proper carbon monoxide monitors installed in your home, you and your loved ones should hopefully avert accidental CO poisoning.

Although a standard carbon monoxide monitor may cost a bit less than one which provides readouts, a monitoring device is worth the investment. Many homeowners are in the habit of running their cars in the garage to warm them up. If your garage is attached to your house, however, the CO that your vehicle produces could seep into your home through cracks in the door. By monitoring the CO levels, you will know instantly if the harmful gas is entering your home, before anyone gets sick.

Additionally, you will be alerted to any ventilation issues or malfunctions that could be causing other gas-fired appliances such as furnaces, stoves or dryers to produce carbon monoxide, and stop problems before they get out of hand. Be sure to check your detector’s batteries monthly to ensure they are functional. And to reduce the risk of CO production altogether, be sure to have your contractor service your furnace annually and assess your home’s ventilation.

For more advice on choosing the right carbon monoxide monitor, contact us at Smoky Mountain Heating & Air. We proudly serve Asheville and surrounding areas.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Asheville, North Carolina and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

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