An electronic carbon monoxide alarm can literally be a lifesaving tool - one that every household in the United Kingdom should ideally have installed. As well as keeping ourselves safe, these alarms can also keep our families and pets safe from this harmful gas, which can prove to be fatal if too much is inhaled.
Carbon monoxide is a harmful gas that is emitted by many of the items we use on such a regular basis. Cars and the coal and oil we use in our heating systems are just two of the main sources. These devices will give off carbon dioxide, which is potentially harmless to us. However, as it builds up in the atmosphere it can cause significant climate issues.
In order for these fuels to burn as they should they need to use up a large amount of oxygen; if no oxygen is available though, then these fuels will not burn. When this occurs the fuel may burn incompletely and give off the gas that we know as carbon monoxide.
If you are outdoors when there is carbon monoxide present, it isn't much of a threat and there isn't much chance of this gas causing you much harm at all - so don't panic. If you happen to be in a closed-off area - such as your home - and there is carbon monoxide present there's a chance you'll develop carbon monoxide poisoning. This is the reason why it is so important for all homes to have a working carbon monoxide alarm. An alarm of this kind can provide awareness and allow for the family home to be evacuated as quickly as is possible.
There are two different types of systems available on the market today. Both of them could help you detect this harmful gas inside of your home. You can find affordable detector strips that may be applied to the wall. These strips react if there is any significant amount of carbon monoxide present in the room.
Alternatively you can also purchase a carbon monoxide alarm system that works electronically - using a power outlet in the home or off a number of batteries. Those alarms powered by batteries are incredibly useful as they'll continue to work during power outages.
You can also find combination systems that also detect smoke. This means that you can have one single alarm that detects both carbon monoxide as well as standard smoke. People should remember though carbon monoxide alarms do not detect smoke and should not be used as such.
Carbon monoxide alarm systems have a detector located inside of them that is able to detect harmful carbon monoxide gases in the home environment, before they can cause your family any harm. There is also a carbon monoxide alarm that is known as an electrolytic detector which works like a battery with various terminals. When the alarm detects the harmful gas in the air it conducts electricity sending a signal to the detector circuit area. This in turn causes the alarm to go off. This particular type of carbon monoxide is typically the most expensive option when it comes to carbon monoxide alarm systems; but very effective when it comes to detecting the gas.
A carbon monoxide alarm could save the lives of an entire family. This article details how these particular alarms work.