While CO detectors do not serve as smoke detectors and vice versa, combined smoke/CO detectors are also sold. Some system-connected detectors also alert a monitoring service that can dispatch emergency services if necessary. ĬO detectors are designed to measure CO levels over time and sound an alarm before dangerous levels of CO accumulate in an environment, giving people adequate warning to safely ventilate the area or evacuate. Smaller concentrations can be harmful over longer periods of time while increasing concentrations require diminishing exposure times to be harmful. Elevated levels of CO can be dangerous to humans depending on the amount present and length of exposure. In a study by Underwriters Laboratories, 'Sixty percent of Americans could not identify any potential signs of a CO leak in the home'. It is often referred to as the 'silent killer' because it is virtually undetectable by humans. Most CO detectors use a sensor with a defined, limited lifespan, and will not work indefinitely.ĬO is a colorless, tasteless and odorless gas produced by incomplete combustion of carbon-containing materials. This applies to all CO safety alarms that meet UL 2034 standard however for passive indicators and system devices that meet UL 2075, UL refers to these as carbon monoxide detectors. In the late 1990s Underwriters Laboratories changed the definition of a single station CO detector with a sound device to carbon monoxide (CO) alarm. ( March 2017) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message)Ĭarbon monoxide detector connected to an electrical outlet Carbon monoxide alarmĪ carbon monoxide detector or CO detector is a device that detects the presence of the carbon monoxide (CO) gas to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. You may improve this article, discuss the issue on the talk page, or create a new article, as appropriate. The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United States and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject.

Co carbon monoxide