A smoke alarm and a carbon monoxide alarm look alike and both beep, but they protect you from two different dangers. One does not cover the other.
What each one detects
Smoke alarms sense smoke particles from a fire. They give you the early warning you need to get out.
Carbon monoxide (CO) alarms sense carbon monoxide, a gas you cannot see or smell. It comes from burning fuel in things like furnaces, water heaters, gas stoves, fireplaces, generators and running cars. A leak can make people sick or kill them without any smoke at all.
Who needs a CO alarm
If your home has any fuel-burning appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage, you need carbon monoxide alarms. Put them outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, and follow the manufacturer's placement instructions.
Combination alarms
Combination smoke and CO alarms do both jobs in one unit. They are a good way to cover a hallway outside the bedrooms. Just remember that a combo unit still has to follow the placement rules for both, and your home still needs smoke alarms in every bedroom.
They wear out too
CO sensors have a limited life, usually somewhere between 5 and 10 years depending on the model. Most give an end-of-life warning. Check the label for the replacement date and test CO alarms monthly, the same as smoke alarms.
If a CO alarm sounds, get everyone outside to fresh air right away and call 911 or your fire department from outside. Do not go back in until responders say it is safe.
More on picking the right smoke alarm: photoelectric vs. ionization.
Filed under Smoke Alarms
Two minutes, right now: press the test button on every smoke alarm in your home. Here is how to do it right.