Is it time to think about if your carbon monoxide, or CO, detector needs replacing? Here are five quick ways to tell if your detector should be replaced.
- End of life – Some CO detectors only work for 10 years after first being activated. At the ten year mark, they will automatically stop working, with an annoying alarm or they will not work when tested at all. New batteries will not work. Time to replace.
- Yellowed plastic – Visually, some CO detectors will turn yellow with age. If this is the case, time to replace. All detectors, whether smoke or CO, should be replaced after 10 years.
- New batteries don’t work – Corroded batteries will destroy the inside of any detector. If battery corrosion is apparent on the battery terminals, time to replace.
- Looks old – Older technology CO detectors are simply not as good as todays technology when it comes to carbon monoxide detection.
- Gas testing not easy – Even if the test button may work, CO detectors are difficult to test with a ‘test gas’ method to see if they work without the test button. And even when they work perfectly, CO detectors have long trigger times when compared to smoke detectors. So when in doubt, best to replace or utilize new back up CO detectors in the same space.
Here is a quick explainer on what CO is and is not. Bottom line – when in doubt, install a new CO detector in your home, especially where you sleep.
Questions? Leave a comment or question below.