Carbon monoxide (CO) is an invisible, odorless, colorless gas created when fuels (such as gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas, propane, oil, and methane) burn incompletely. In the home, heating and cooking equipment that burn fuel are potential sources of carbon monoxide. Vehicles or generators running in an attached garage can also produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.
CO alarms should be installed in the hallways outside each bedroom area.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for placement and mounting height.
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Choose a CO alarm that has the label of a recognized testing laboratory.
Test CO alarms once a month just like smoke alarms. It is recommended to replace CO alarms after 5 years.
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If the CO alarm sounds, call the fire department. In Cranford, call 272-2222. The Cranford Fire Department will respond. They will check your home with meters to see if there are unsafe levels of CO.
Wait outside or by an open window for the fire department.
Don’t hesitate to call the fire department. Remember you will not see or smell anything. Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless.
The Cranford Fire Department responded to over 80 calls for CO alarms this year. More than 25 percent of the calls had elevated CO readings.
The very young and the very old can be more severely affected by lower concentrations of CO than healthy adults would be.
If you need to warm a vehicle, remove it from the garage immediately after starting it. Do not run a vehicle or other fueled engines indoors, even if the garage doors are open.
