When To Test For Carbon Monoxide and Smoke

The unfortunate aftermath of the fire on Broadway and High Street in Methuen, MA that took down a multi-unit. Although at the time of publication no source of the fire is known, chances are that this could have been preventable.

Well we've all heard it before.  Smoke detectors?  Well, we're sure your ears have been pierced by the shrieking sound of a smoke detector after burning your toast to the point of charcoal briquettes, but we're referencing the old adage, "Where there's smoke, there's fire."

Or at least that's what we're told.  However, not all fires produce a lot of smoke.  And we sure hope you know that carbon monoxide is odorless.  Without a fully-functioning detector, one is highly vulnerable to injury or even possible death.  The kicker is knowing that this could be completely avoidable.

So when do you check your detectors?  Some may claim to check them twice a year.  This is actually not correct.  First of all, you want to test your detectors, not glance at them and considered them "checked."  If your detector "test" button is not operating properly and does not give out a blinking / flashing light and / or doesn't beep or have some test signal, replace that detector immediately.  You actually want to test your detectors monthly and at least replace the batteries twice a year.¹  Don't think this is our own rule of thumb; this is as highly recommended by the U.S. Fire Administration.

What if my landlord doesn't test detectors monthly?  This is a tricky situation.  In most States, renting a property without proper smoke and / or carbon monoxide detection is considered illegal.²  If you are a renter, first call your local fire department to better understand the laws and your rights as a renter.  If you are a landlord and / or property manager and don't have a method of testing monthly, you should consider other options so that you are not held liable for negligence.

Are there more sophisticated detectors?  Short answer: yes.  Some people admittedly can't keep up with this important chore.  (It could only save your life, your house, and then some).  After taking a long hard look in the mirror, since these people are not in the denial stage, and that they do want to be at peace knowing they have fully-functioning detectors, some property owners decide to hard wire a detector into their house or commercial building.  This is wise as now you no longer need to worry about replacing batteries and only need to do your monthly test.  Besides that, hard wired detectors are also popular since some models can also send a signal to your local fire department if the detector goes off for whatever reason.  Some models even combine smoke detection with carbon monoxide detection, which makes the property more streamlined and less cluttered without this redundancy.  If you're interested in learning more about this option, please feel free to call us at 978-658-7200.  We'll do a walk-through of your property whether residential or commercial and give our recommendations as far as where to place the detectors.

As your local electrician based in Wilmington, MA, we're ready to service you whether you're in Southern New Hampshire or throughout the Greater Boston area.  For more information, please visit our website.  You can also email us at info@modernelc.com.

_________________________________________________________________________
¹ U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/outreach/smoke_alarms.html 
² Massachusetts Smoke Alarm Regulations http://www.mass.gov/eopss/agencies/dfs/osfm/fire-prev/smoke-alarm-regulations.html