What to do if your carbon monoxide detector goes off

What should I do if my carbon monoxide detector goes off? (Do not remove the batteries or do not unplug it! Yes, people actually do that!).

First, open the windows turn off your heating appliances. Next, get out of the house or building. Last, call, Around The Town Heating and Cooling and we will determine were your carbon monoxide is coming from, and we will fix it!

All one and two family dwellings should be required to have carbon monoxide alarms. Homes built before Feb. 1 can use battery-powered, stand-alone detectors. Those built on or after Feb. 1 must have alarms that are interconnected and directly wired to the house’s electrical service with a backup battery supply. The carbon monoxide detectors must be installed in the basement and on each floor except the attic or garage. The law applies to dwellings that contain carbon monoxide sources such as garages, heaters, fireplaces, furnaces, and appliances or cooking sources using fuels that emit carbon monoxide as a by-product. According to the state, battery or plug-in carbon monoxide alarms typically range in cost from $25 to $50. New construction installation of a hard-wired co detector with battery backup and interconnection ranges from $90 to $110.

According to the American Medical Association, carbon monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning in the United States:

“CO alarms have shown their effectiveness in alerting occupants to the presence of this poisonous gas,” Wisconsin Department of Commerce Secretary Paul Jadin said.

Do you have a carbon monoxide detector in your home? What will you do when it goes off?