Install a CO detector: If your CO detector goes off and you feel ill, leave the house and call 911 or the local fire department. If you do not feel ill, push your detector's reset button. If the alarm goes off again after a few minutes, open the windows, leave the house and call 911 or the local fire department.
Call 911 immediately and report that the alarm has gone off. Do not assume it is safe to reenter the home when the alarm stops. When you open windows and doors, it helps diminish the amount of carbon monoxide in the air, but the source may still be producing the gas.
Immediately evacuate the building to fresh air and safety. Call 9-1-1 once safely outside to report the incident and if there is anyone experiencing carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms like headaches, dizziness and vomiting. Do not return into the building until it has been cleared by first responders.
If your carbon monoxide alarm goes off, press the test reset button, leave the residence and call the fire department or 911. Trust your CO detector and avoid carbon monoxide poisoning with help from a certified firefighter in this free video on home safety.
If it still sounds, call the fire department. If the CO alarm sounds, immediately move to a fresh air location outdoors or by an open window or door. Make sure everyone inside the home is accounted for. Call for help from a fresh air location and stay there until emergency personnel.
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.
Using Carbon Monoxide Meters to Detect and Monitor Carbon Monoxide Levels. The Sensorcon Inspector is a trusted tool used by firefighters and emergency medical technicians in detecting and identifying the source of carbon monoxide (CO) during fire and rescue activities.
When you open windows and doors, it helps diminish the amount of carbon monoxide in the air, but the source may still be producing the gas. The levels can build up again once you go back inside and close the windows.
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.
Dial 911 right away to let emergency responders know your CO alarm has been activated. Don't re-enter the home, even after the alarm stops going off. Open doors and windows may allow the CO in your home to dissipate, but you don't know if the machine that triggered the alarm has stopped producing carbon monoxide.
Fires can produce carbon monoxide, so a smoke alarm won't always detect this gas. On the other hand, carbon monoxide can be present without any visible smoke or flames, making a smoke alarm insufficient for protection.
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.
If no one is feeling symptoms, ventilate the home with fresh air, turn off all potential sources of CO - 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.
There is no per-call charge for calling 9-1-1. However, EMS/ambulances dispatched through 9-1-1 may charge for taking someone to the hospital; this is a separate ambulance charge, not a 9-1-1 charge.
Four beeps accompanied by a pause indicate CO is present. Occupants should immediately seek fresh air and notify emergency personnel. One chirp per minute means CO detector batteries are due for replacement. Five beeps per minute signals the detector should be replaced.
If you have a mild case of CO poisoning, you'll feel better just by going outside and breathing fresh air. More severe cases may require treatment with pure oxygen or hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT).
Concrete confirmation of carbon-monoxide poisoning comes from a carboxyhemoglobin test. This blood test measures the amount of carbon monoxide bound to hemoglobin.
The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning aren't always obvious, particularly during low-level exposure. A tension-type headache is the most common symptom of mild carbon monoxide poisoning. Other symptoms include: dizziness.
If the alarm on your carbon monoxide detector is going off in a continuous, shrill way, get outside to fresh air right away. Make sure you contact your emergency provider to give you the all-clear before re-entering your dwelling.
Even if you keep the doors and windows open, it does not guarantee ventilation. Also, do not run these sources less than 20 feet from an open window, door, or vent so exhaust can escape into an enclosed space.
If your detectors go off, call 911 and evacuate the home. Be sure to notify them if anyone in the house is experiencing flu-like symptoms. The Fire Department has specialized equipment to detect and measure amounts of CO in your home.
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.
How to avoid confusing the different gas detectors: smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector. A smoke detector sounds the alarm in the event of a fire, while a carbon monoxide detector alerts you when a combustion appliance in your home emits dangerous carbon monoxide.
If you suspect carbon monoxide exposure, take immediate action. Call your local fire department and move everyone outdoors into fresh air. Seek medical advice if you have any symptoms that you think may be related to chemical exposure.