FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT ABOUT CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS?

Since 2000, the South Milwaukee Fire Department responded over 100 calls to investigate carbon monoxide. More and more the fire department is faced with calls from citizens requesting help concerning the possibility of carbon monoxide in their homes.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, deadly gas and is the leading cause of poisoning deaths in America. It is a by-product of combustion, present whenever fuel is burned. In a home it can be produced by appliances like your furnace, hot water heater, cloths dryer, stove or fireplace. If these appliances or their exhaust systems are malfunctioning, CO can build in the home to lethal levels. An automobile running in an attached garage can also poison occupants of the home.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends that every household have at least one carbon monoxide detector. The South Milwaukee Fire Department also recommends buying only detectors that are UL listed and display a Blue Star seal authorized by the American Gas Association. These CO detectors feature a digital readout showing parts per million, (PPM) of CO and plug in to your homes electrical outlets. The fire department has found that most false alarms of carbon monoxide detectors are caused by battery and sensor failures in battery (DC powered) CO detectors. For this reason the department recommends buying electric (AC powered) CO detectors. Now more than ever carbon monoxide detectors are reliable, affordable and can be as important to home safety as smoke detectors. For more information about carbon monoxide call the Poison Center at 1-800-815-8855.

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