Carbon monoxide detectors are crucial for home safety, but sometimes they can trigger false alarms. Understanding why these occur and what different alarm sounds mean is essential for your safety. Let's explore common causes of false alarms and how to interpret your detector's beeps.
The carbon monoxide alarm going off could mean the gas is present in your home or office, or simply indicating the battery or alarm needs replacing.
Exposure to the vapors from various household substances (such as paints and paint thinners, adhesives, hair spray, strong perfumes, plug-in and aerosol air fresheners, and household cleaning solvents with strong odors (like pine)) may cause your CO alarm to render a false alarm.
Carbon Monoxide Detector Maintenance
To check your device, make sure the battery is in good condition then press and hold the “test” button until you hear a loud beep. If you don't hear a sound, the unit needs to be replaced.
CO alarms are designed to warn you of any unusual build-up of CO in your home. These higher levels of CO may occur from improperly maintained, installed or used fuel-burning appliances, backdrafting appliances or fireplaces, or idling cars in garages.
The most common symptoms of CO poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. CO symptoms are often described as “flu-like.” If you breathe in a lot of CO, it can make you pass out or kill you.
If you have a carbon monoxide detector chirping and then it stops, it's important to take the situation seriously, even if the alarm is no longer sounding. Even if the alarm has stopped, get everyone out of the home to a place with fresh air.
If you experience symptoms that you think could be from CO poisoning: DO GET FRESH AIR IMMEDIATELY. Open doors and windows, turn off combustion appliances and leave the house.
Your carbon monoxide alarm is going off for one of the following reasons: It is doing its job properly and detects CO pollution in the air. It is a false alarm caused by other household items. The detector is malfunctioning or the batteries need changing.
In most areas, the fire department does not charge to respond to carbon monoxide alarms or to check for the presence of CO in a residence. However, policies can vary depending on the jurisdiction or specific fire department. It's always a good idea to contact your local fire department for specifics on their policies.
The most common causes of carbon monoxide building up are incorrectly installed or poorly maintained or ventilated appliances – like stoves and hot water heaters. Poorly ventilated fireplaces and other gas- or wood-burning appliances can also pose danger.
While CO detectors are designed to be reliable, various factors can cause them to beep erroneously. False alarms can be caused by incorrect installation, placement near a source of fumes or steam, or even a buildup of dust and dirt on the sensor.
Smoke alarms typically sound with 3 beeps in a row, while carbon monoxide detectors usually sound with 4 beeps. Press and hold the button on the front of the detector to test the alarm, and make note of how many beeps it produces. Press the button again, or press and hold it again, to turn off the alarm.
My carbon monoxide alarm is sounding. What should I do? Call 911 and report what is happening. Immediately leave your residence and wait for the fire department to arrive.
4 beeps and a pause: This means that there is carbon monoxide in the air and you should seek fresh air immediately and call 911. 1 beep every minute: This means that the alarm has low batteries and you should replace them. 3 beeps every minute: This means the alarm has encountered a malfunction and needs replacement.
Smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors can false alarm for several reasons. False or nuisance alarms are when your smoke detector or CO alarm goes off, but there is no presence of smoke or carbon monoxide in your home.
Although a power outage might cause a false alarm for hardwired carbon monoxide detectors, they typically have a battery backup that should prevent that from occurring. When you hear your carbon monoxide detector go off during a power outage, investigate it.
Severe leaks can cause this problem in just five minutes. The EPA states that exposure to concentrations of nine ppm or more for eight hours is enough to produce harmful health effects for at-risk individuals. Exit the property and call 911 if you suspect your home has a gas leak.
Go to the Home app on your iPhone or iPad. , then tap Home Settings. Tap Safety & Security. Tap Sound Recognition, then turn on Smoke & CO Alarm.
Risks Specific to Defective Exhaust Systems
Even a properly tuned gasoline engine will produce more than 30,000 parts per million (ppm) of carbon monoxide in the exhaust stream before the catalytic converter. Engines that are poorly maintained or defective can result in exhaust leaks.
How to test your carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they are working properly? To test your carbon monoxide detectors, press and hold the test button on the alarm. The detector will sound 4 beeps, a pause, then 4 beeps for 5-6 seconds. Refer to the user manual for your specific model.
If no one is feeling symptoms, ventilate the home with fresh air and turn off all potential sources of CO. That includes your oil or gas furnace, gas water heater, gas range and oven, gas dryer, gas or kerosene space heater, and any vehicle or small engine.