Carbon Monoxide Safety

We don’t mean to scare you but as your professional HVAC we owe it to you to educate you to the dangers in your home. Please Read

Low Level Detector

Carbon Monoxide flyer copy

WHY IS THE LOW LEVEL CARBON MONOXIDE MONITOR MORE EXPENSIVE THAN OTHER CO ALARMS

Buying an inexpensive Carbon Monoxide alarm gives a false sense of security. Inexpensive alarms simply can’t provide the needed protection. Measuring CO accuratlely cannot be done at low cost.
Here’s what the US EPA says on the subject:

“Do some research on features and don’t select soley on the basis of cost… it is important for you to know that the technology of CO detectors is still developing, that there are several types on the market, and that they are not generally considered to be as reliable as the smoke detectors found in homes today.

Some CO detectors have been laboratory tested, and their performance varied. Some performed well, others failed to alarm even at very high CO levels…”

The Low Level CO Montor’s high high quality compnents simply cost more. It uses the same extremely accurate electrochemical sensor technology found in professional diagnostic test instruments.

The exacting quality control testing and internal self-checking ensures it will do what it is supposed to.

WHY STANDARD “RETAIL STORE” CO ALARMS DO NOT ADEQUATELY PROTECT YOU OR YOUR FAMILY.

CO is measured in parts per million (PPM). CO is a poison even at very low levels, and builds up in the blood.

Many Doctors and researchers now state the long term exposure to CO levels ar low as 10 pppm can lead to permanent mental & physical health damage and disability. This is especially true for more sensitive people, notably infants, children pregnant women the elderly, or people with chronic medical conditions such as asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, heart disease or anemia.
However, because of accuracy problems and lobbying from fire departments and utilities, “retail store” Carbon Monoxide (CO) alarms conforming to the UL standard will not alarm unless levels are over 70 ppm. They will not warn you of unhealthy chronic or intermittent lower level exposure.
This is an unacceptable risk. The American Society of Heating, Refrieration and Air Condition Engineers, The US Environmental Protection Agency, Utility Companies and many Fire Departments, say if the level of CO found inside your home exceeds the ambient level found outside your home by more that 9 ppm, you definitely have a problem that needs to be corrected at once.
Over 80% of gas companies routinely “Red Tag” or “Shut Off” household gas appliances when they find Carbon Monoxide at a level of 10 ppm or more. Most fire Departments require that Firefighters pu on oxygen masks before entering a home if levels are over 35 ppm.
However: 10 to 69 ppm could be in your home indefinitely, and a standard retail store co alarm would probably NEVER go off. 70 ppm could be present for up to four hours before the listing standard requires it to alarm.