A carbon monoxide alarm can be reset by pressing the “RESET” button that is located on the alarm. If after resetting the alarm it keeps chirping, replace the batteries and test the unit. The alarm may have a low battery when it beeps. Replace the batteries when the unit beeps every 30 seconds.
Replace or Check the Battery
Usually, the annoying beeping caused by a carbon monoxide detector is to alert you about a malfunctioning battery. If the old battery requires changing or it's slipped out of place, the unit will chirp. Try reinstalling the battery or replacing it, and then reset your device.
Continuous Four-Beep Alarm Pattern
Your alarm may have detected carbon monoxide. Make sure that you know how to respond to a CO emergency. You may be experiencing a nuisance alarm.
A beeping CO detector could signify gas presence or a low battery. Regardless of the reason, further action should be taken.
A carbon monoxide detector is a must for any home and just as important as a smoke detector. CO detectors should be placed near all bedrooms; they're the only way you will know if carbon monoxide is affecting the air quality in your home, and can help prevent serious illness and even death.
1 beep every minute: This means that the detector has low batteries and you should replace them. 5 beeps every minute: This means your alarm has reached the end of its life and needs to be replaced with a new carbon monoxide alarm.
If the carbon monoxide concentration in the air is much higher, signs of poisoning may occur within 1-2 hours. A very high carbon monoxide concentration can even kill an exposed individual within 5 minutes.
On First Alert carbon monoxide alarms, the red light flashes to show the CO alarm is properly receiving battery power. If you do not see the red light flashing, change the batteries in the alarm immediately.
The CO alarm sounds if your sensor detects a buildup of carbon monoxide in your home—usually before you start sensing symptoms. With a low CO level (50 ppm), it may take up to eight hours for the alarm to go off. Higher carbon monoxide levels (over 150 ppm) can trigger an alarm within minutes.
Carbon monoxide alarms alert you with four beeps. A single chirp means the battery is low or the detector should be replaced.
Can a carbon monoxide detector go off for no reason? In most cases, no. There is typically a reason why the CO alarm is sounding, whether it detects carbon monoxide in the air or is low on battery.
The half-life of carboxyhemoglobin in fresh air is approximately 4 hours. To completely flush the carbon monoxide from the body requires several hours, valuable time when additional damage can occur.
The Best Way to Test for Carbon Monoxide
Because CO is colorless, tasteless, odorless and non-irritating, the best way to detect its presence is to use an electronic combustion testing instrument.
Opening a window will slow carbon monoxide poisoning, but it likely won't stop it. There simply isn't enough airflow through most windows to get rid of the poisonous gas, and it could take between four and eight hours for the CO to dissipate entirely.
Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning can become deadly in a matter of minutes. If you suspect CO poisoning, leave your home or building immediately and call 911 or go to the emergency room. If treated quickly, the effects of CO poisoning can be reversed.
In domestic properties, your CO alarm can be triggered by any fuel burning appliance such as gas cookers, boilers and ovens. All of these appliances give off small traces of CO, but the levels can rise slightly when adequate ventilation isn't provided, or the venting is blocked or clogged by dust.
LIMITATIONS OF CO ALARMS
(1) The CO Alarm will not work without good batteries - the green power light must flash every 45 seconds. If the battery has been drained the alarm will not give protection. Button test the alarm on return from holidays and other long absences.
House mold consumes oxygen and releases carbon dioxide (CO2). According to Dr. Paul Armstrong, a researcher with the USDA, “As mold grows, it gives off carbon dioxide. Therefore, if there is a CO2 spike, there is likely an increase of mold activity.”
Does a Carbon Monoxide Detector Detect Sewer Gas? No, it does not. Carbon monoxide detectors DO NOT detect sewer gas. These devices are designed to detect only the presence of carbon monoxide, and thus will not pick up on the other gases that are found in a sewer gas mixture.
The most common source of CO poisoning is unvented space heaters in the home. An unvented space heater uses combustible fuel and indoor air for the heating process. It vents the gases it makes into the room, instead of outdoors.
Carbon Monoxide Sources in the Home
Clothes dryers. Water heaters. Furnaces or boilers. Fireplaces, both gas and wood burning.