Guarding Against Carbon Monoxide

by Dawn West
About Home Security Columnist

This fall, there's a lot of scary stuff on television -- alien invaders, prison dramas, crime scene investigations, and the scariest of all, a couple of shows about lawyers. As the season changes, though, there's a lot more than scary TV to be worried about. Your risk for carbon monoxide poisoning increases as temperatures cool and your home heating system kicks in. And scariest of all, carbon monoxide can kill you.

Carbon monoxide poisoning is particularly scary because it's hard to tell it's happening. If your house is on fire, you'll see the smoke. You'll cough. You'll feel the heat of the fire. If the carbon monoxide levels in your home rise to dangerous levels, you won't smell anything, see anything, or feel anything other than a warm drowsiness you could easily mistake for ordinary sleepiness. That's why a carbon monoxide detector is so important -- it can be the only warning you have.


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How Carbon Monoxide Detectors Work

You can purchase a carbon monoxide detector that works just like a smoke alarm. Plug it into your wall, and if carbon monoxide levels rise to dangerous levels, it will set off a loud alarm, alerting you to the problem. You can also purchase a carbon monoxide detector as part of a larger home security package, including a burglar alarm. In that case, when the carbon monoxide alarm sounds, you'll be alerted, but so will a 24-hour monitoring facility. In the event that you don't answer your phone once they receive the alarm, an emergency medical team will be dispatched to your home.

Carbon monoxide detectors aren't expensive, but they can save your life. The small investment is well worth it. With your carbon monoxide detector working, you can sit back and enjoy those scary fall shows without anything truly frightening to worry about.

About the Author

Dawn West teaches writing at Oregon State University. Her previous experience includes working for the Community Development Venture Capital Alliance, a not-for-profit in New York City, and serving as the director for an educational program for at-risk youth in Boston. Dawn holds a B.A. in English from Harvard University.