Carbon monoxide is produced through the fuel-burning process. Here are some examples of what can cause carbon monoxide to build up in your home: If the alarm reactivates within a 24-hour period, repeat the above steps and call a qualified appliance technician to investigate sources of CO from fuel-burning equipment and appliances, and to inspect for proper operation of equipment. Alarm Malfunction – The alarm chirping every 30 seconds could indicate a unit malfunction. Call our Product Support when this occurs at 1-800-880-6788. The Kidde KN-COPP-3 AC powered, plug in carbon monoxide alarm provides you and your family with warning signal to protect against dangerous levels of carbon monoxide in your home. This alarm is easily installed in any of your AC wall outlets. The digital display feature allows for easy viewing of carbon monoxide levels from 30-999PPM (parts per million). The KN-COPP-3 is UL listed and offers a 10-year life and a 10-year limited warranty.

Most manufacturers suggest locating your alarm next to or near a gas appliance, and it’s worth having one in the same room as any fire or wood-burning stove. It should be around 1.5m from the ground and at least 30cm away from any ceiling, and most can be mounted on a worktop, shelf or table – or simply mounted on the wall. Do not reenter the premises until emergency services responders have given you permission to do so.Furnaces, gas ranges or stoves, gas clothes dryers, water heaters, portable fuel-burning space heaters, fireplaces, generators, and wood burning stoves Consult the alarm’s User Guide for exact instructions on resetting the Peak Level memory. But generally, you can reset it by pushing the Peak Level button and holding it down while you press and hold the Test/Reset button for 2 seconds, then releasing them at the same time. Anytime someone is experiencing the symptoms of CO poisoning, it should be treated as an emergency. We recommend choosing carbon monoxide alarms that have the most accurate sensing technology available. Carbon monoxide poisoning is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in America (Centers for Disease Control). At a minimum, industry experts recommend a CO alarm be installed on each level of the home -- ideally on any level with fuel burning appliances and outside of sleeping areas. Additional CO alarms are recommended 5-20 feet from sources of CO such as a furnace, water heater or fireplace. Alarms can alert you to a problems only after smoke or carbon monoxide reach their sensors. Choose locations free of obstructions, where the alarm will stay clean and protected from adverse environmental conditions. Do not place the unit in dead air spaces or next to a window or door.

Carbon monoxide sensors have a finite lifespan of between five and seven years, although a few manufacturers now claim that their sensors will last a full ten years. Generally speaking, it’s worth playing it safe and replacing your alarm a year or two before its life is supposed to run out. Tests in the US have shown that alarms over eight years old can fail to detect CO at levels of above 400ppm. The chemical makeup of the two gasses is slightly different, but the difference in their effects is extreme. Carbon dioxide is mostly harmless, while carbon monoxide can be fatal. The Peak Level reading is a memory of the highest reading taken by your carbon monoxide alarm since its last reset or power-up. The Peak Level display feature will display levels between 11-999 PPM. Although the Peak Level feature will display levels below 30 PPM, these levels will not result in an alarm no matter how long the device is exposed to these levels. All of these concentrations are bad enough when you’re awake and realise that something isn’t quite right – especially if others are feeling a similar effect – but if you’re asleep, you may wake up with a severe headache and nausea and be incapable of even crawling for fresh air. Worse, you might not even wake up at all. Why should I be concerned? End of Life Warning – Seven years after initial power up, a Kidde CO alarm will begin chirping every 30 seconds. The chirp will not stop until the unit is powered off, and it’s vital to replace the carbon monoxide alarm immediately since it can’t detect CO when it enters end-of-life mode.

How Can I Prevent Carbon Monoxide Exposure?

The 7DCO comes with a ten-year lifespan and is BS EN 50291-2 certified for camping, caravanning and travel, or even use on a boat. As with all CO detectors, the Kidde provides end-of-life and battery warnings, along with the obligatory test/reset button for peace of mind. The only thing to watch out for is that it’s powered by a pair of AA batteries which need replacing roughly every two years We had no issues whatsoever during tests, but it means this alarm won’t be compliant with the new Scottish regulations. The health effects of CO depend on the concentration and length of exposure (carbon monoxide concentration is measured in parts per million). According to respected CO alarm manufacturer Kidde, “a carbon monoxide detector is a time-weighted alarm that measures the buildup of carbon monoxide in a house.