Thank you First Alert for sponsoring this post. Don’t let the beep steal your sleep.
I would do anything to keep these boys safe. I know you feel me mommas. I remember before my first son was even born, I became obsessed with baby proofing my house. I put up gates, locked up cabinets, plugged up the outlets and padded all the corners. We once even had locks on our toilet lids because someone enjoyed throwing things down it. With all of that baby proofing, I have to admit there was one very important safety measure I totally forgot about. One so simple, and possibly life saving – checking our fire and carbon monoxide detectors.
Don’t Ignore This Life Saving Beep
We live in Virginia, where in 2011 a law was passed mandating the use of carbon monoxide alarms in homes. So, since our new home is just two years old, our detectors should be good to go, but after given the task of sharing this information, we checked them anyway. This same law that impacts building codes was passed in other states too, so some of these detectors may be nearing their end of life and need to be replaced. Go check yours now! You can find out the specific building codes in your state here.
What is Carbon Monoxide?
Carbon Monoxide is an odorless and deadly gas produced by any fuel burning device. Common sources in our homes are gas ovens, chimneys, dryer vents, and running cars in our garage. It’s dangerous and something you want to be sure your family isn’t exposed to. So, make sure you have a detector and that it’s in good working order.
How do I Know if my detector works?
Detectors come with different life spans, none last forever, but all come with end of life warnings and low battery warnings, in the form of a beep. Ever had a tiny little beep going off in your house and just not know where it’s coming from? It may be your detector. I’ll admit I’m guilty of letting mine in my old house beep for some time before I actually took action to get it back in working order. I found out from First Alert that the beeps do mean different things; 1 beep every minute, means your battery is low, five beeps every minute means the detector is nearing its end of life and if you get 4 beeps and a pause, repeated, the alarm is going off and you need to evacuate for fresh air immediately!
How can I protect my family from Carbon Monoxide?
Install a carbon monoxide detector on every level of your home and in every bedroom. Replace the batteries every six months. First Alert makes a few different alarms, some that are basic and will need battery replacements, but also some that plug in the wall with battery backup, and options with built in ten year batteries, so you don’t need to worry about the battery for the life of the detector. Remember that alarms don’t last forever and need to be replaced every 7-10 years. You can see their full line of alarms here. You should also ensure there is a fire alarm on every level of your home and in bedrooms, and a fire extinguisher in your kitchen and garage.
It’s not always glamorous to talk about smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms, but I think it’s an important PSA for everyone! Whether you’re a momma worried about her babies like me, or just want to keep yourself and maybe your pets safe, I hope this inspires you to take a look at the alarms installed in your home. You can find more information about First Alert alarms, and carbon monoxide safety here.
-Brooke
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
