How long do first alert carbon monoxide detectors last

Q: How do I know if my carbon monoxide detector is dying?

Heres a simple guide: Smoke alarms alert you with three beeps in a row. Carbon monoxide alarms alert you with four beeps. A single chirp means the battery is low or the detector should be replaced.

It's important to check and replace the batteries in your smoke detectors regularly (case in point: last season on This Is Us!), but don't forget about the other important alert system in your home.

Table of Contents Show

What is carbon monoxide?
What causes carbon monoxide to accumulate?
Where should I install a carbon monoxide alarm?
What does a carbon monoxide alarm sound like?
How do you know if your carbon monoxide detector needs to be replaced?
Why does my First Alert carbon monoxide alarm keep beeping?
Where is the expiration date on a First Alert carbon monoxide detector?
How do I know if my carbon monoxide detector is dying?

Most carbon monoxide alarms have a lifespan of about seven years before they lose efficacy, and because of legislation passed in many states back in 2011, many families' devices expire right about now. Leaving old devices in place puts people at risk of serious and sometimes fatal carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.

The laws passed almost simultaneously in places such as California, Washington, and New York required the installation of monitors in most apartment buildings, rental dwellings, and single-family homes, as well as hotels and other residences, regardless of when they were built or bought.

What is carbon monoxide?

Called the invisible killer, carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas created when fuels like gas, wood, charcoal, gas, or propane burn incompletely, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

Exposure to a small amount of CO over an extended period of time or a large amount of CO in a shorter amount of time can cause symptoms like shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness, lightheadedness, or headaches. High levels can prove fatal, with approximately 450 people dying every year of CO poisoning, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

What causes carbon monoxide to accumulate?

Common sources of carbon monoxide gas include heaters, fireplaces, furnaces, and many types of appliances and cooking devices, including charcoal grills or barbecues. Idling vehicles also produce carbon monoxide gas. When indoors, the gas can build up to dangerous levels — especially in modern eco-conscious homes.

"Homes today are built so tightly there's not a lot of interchange with outside air," Dana Catts, education specialist with the Seattle Fire Department, told the Associated Press.

Where should I install a carbon monoxide alarm?

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The most important place to have a detector is outside of your home's sleeping areas, but you should also have one on each level of your house and obey any additional local or state regulations.

You can also purchase combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms that will monitor for both threats simultaneously. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for specific guidelines on installing your particular alarm, including mounting height.

What does a carbon monoxide alarm sound like?

That random chirping or beeping you might hear is supposed to irk you — it means your alarm no longer offers the same protection and you should replace the batteries or the entire device, depending on the manufacturer's instructions. And whatever you do, if you hear a real alarm (it'll probably sound like a siren), immediately get everyone outside into fresh air and call for help.

If you think your detector has met its end (R.I.P.), it's easy to order a new one off of Amazon. Here are a few favorites among reviewers:

First Alert Smoke and CO Detector

Now 62% Off

• Battery-operated

• Detects both smoke and carbon monoxide

• 7-year limited warranty with end-of-life signal chirp

Nest Protect Smoke and CO Alarm

• Battery-operated and wifi-enabled

• Detects both smoke and carbon monoxide

• Capable of turning off the furnace in event of a leak and sending alerts to your phone

• 10-year carbon monoxide sensor

Caroline is a writer and editor with almost a decade of experience. From 2015 to 2019, she held various editorial positions at Good Housekeeping, including as health editor, covering nutrition, fitness, wellness, and other lifestyle news. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism and dreams of the day Northwestern will go back to the Rose Bowl.

How do you know if your carbon monoxide detector needs to be replaced?

To determine if your alarm is at the end of its life, refer to the following:.

End-of-Life warning will sound every 30 seconds..

If the alarm has a digital display, it displays the ERR or END error code..

The beep will ONLY STOP when the alarm is out of power..

Replacing the battery WON'T STOP the beep..

Why does my First Alert carbon monoxide alarm keep beeping?

If your carbon monoxide alarm keeps chirping, the battery may be low or weak. On First Alert carbon monoxide detectors, check to see if the battery light is yellow or green. If the alarm is chirping and the light is yellow, it means the battery is low.

Where is the expiration date on a First Alert carbon monoxide detector?

Look at the back of the alarm for the date of manufacture. Smoke alarms should be replaced 10 years from the date of manufacture. Combo smoke/CO alarms should be replaced after 5-7 years (depending on the model). Put the alarm back on the ceiling or wall if it is less than 10 years old.

How do I know if my carbon monoxide detector is dying?

Here's a simple guide: Smoke alarms alert you with three beeps in a row. Carbon monoxide alarms alert you with four beeps. A single chirp means the battery is low or the detector should be replaced.