According to recent reports more than 500 people die from carbon monoxide poising each year in the United States. What is Carbon Monoxide? It is an invisible, odorless poison gas that can cause sickness and even death. Because it is a gas it is extremely difficult to detect and the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are similar to the flu so it normally isn’t identified until it is too late.

The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include: headaches, vertigo and vomiting. Prolonged exposure to the deadly gas can cause damage to the central nervous system and the heart. This is due to fact that the gas prevents oxygen from binding to hemoglobin in the blood, which slowly robs your blood of oxygen. Treatment for carbon monoxide poisoning consists of administering oxygen.

The most common sources of carbon monoxide include house fires, wood-burning stoves, faulty furnaces, automobile exhaust, and certain power tool such as concrete cutting saws and welding torches. Poisoning often occurs when people use this equipment in poorly ventilated rooms and then start to feel sick. It is also a fact that many people are exposed to carbon monoxide in the home due to faulty furnaces or stoves.

That is one reason why every home should have a Kiddie carbon monoxide alarm. As we mentioned, carbon monoxide is impossible to detect and its symptoms are often dismissed as normal cold or flu symptoms. But an alarm system will let you know immediately when there are unsafe levels of the deadly gas in your home or at work.

The Kiddie carbon monoxide alarm is battery-operated and it uses a patented CO sensor to help detect danger. The unit is a cinch to install and the digital display will give you a read out of CO levels in parts per million every 15 seconds. According to health officials, anything more than 85 parts per million can be harmful to your health, and if the device detects this amount it will begin to sound.

When harmful carbon monoxide levels are not detected, a green light will flash every thirty seconds. If levels of the gas are discovered, a red light will flash every thirty seconds and a horn will sound. The horn will continue to sound until the gas is eliminated or at least dissipates.

The Kiddie carbon monoxide alarm is powered by 3 AA batteries and the device will warn you when the batteries need to be replaced. The device looks exactly like a regular smoke detector and is just as easy to use. To replace the batteries you must simply remove the plastic snap cover and insert them. There is also a test/reset button that allows you to see if the alarm is working correctly. The detector also has a peak-level memory feature that keeps track of the highest levels of carbon monoxide that are recorded in your home. Once you hit the reset button, however, the detector will again begin to record the highest levels. The device is covered by a 5 year limited warranty and the company suggested that units should be replaced after seven years.