This year marks the sixth anniversary of the enactment of the Minnesota Carbon Monoxide Alarm Statute, which requires carbon monoxide (CO) detectors in all newly constructed, single and multi-family dwellings.
“Thanks to efforts of Minnesota legislators, many potential CO-related injuries or deaths have been prevented,” said Deborah Hanson of First Alert, a manufacturer of residential CO detection devices. “But installing CO alarms is only half of the story–conducting ongoing alarm maintenance, including replacing expired alarms, is necessary to maintain a home’s level of protection.”
Alarm lifespans vary but a properly maintained CO alarm has a lifespan of approximately five to seven years. “If you can’t think of the last time you installed a CO alarm, chances are, it’s time to replace your old ones,” Hanson said. “Installing new alarms ensures a home is protected with the most advanced CO sensing technologies and latest safety features available. Conversely, by neglecting to replace alarms, you could be putting yourself, your family or tenants in serious risk.”
Known as the “silent killer,” CO is a colorless and odorless gas that is impossible to detect without a sensing device. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, CO poisoning is responsible for an average of 450 deaths each year.
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