5 months ago
WASHINGTON, DC (WUSA) -- Meg Watt lost her brother Michael and three of his friends to carbon monoxide poisoning.
She says, "I had never known that you should have a detector. And, Michael didn't either, and unfortunately, paid the ultimate price for that."
A carbon monoxide alarm can help make sure you stay safe. Consumer Reports tested 10 to see how quickly they'll alert you to low-level and high-level leaks.
"Some took nearly twice as long as others to sound," says Dan DiClerico.
Most of the alarms tested are just for carbon monoxide, but a couple are combined with a smoke alarm.
"Keep in mind that while smoke alarms should be replaced after 10 years, but carbon monoxide alarms should be replaced after five," says DiClerico.
That means, yo need to replace a combination alarm every five years. that's fives years from the date on the back of the alarm.
It's also important to have a carbon monoxide detector on each level of your house, the basement, ground floor, and the upper level.
DiClerico says, "It's a good idea to get interconnecting alarms that signal each other. That way, you'll be warned about a leak in the basement even if you're asleep upstairs."
The First Alert One Link interconnected detector earned top ratings. it's battery operated and cost $70.
"A stand-alone alarm is probably fine if you live in a small one-story home or an apartment," says DiClerico.
A good choice is the $40 First Alert. It plugs into the wall and also has a battery backup.
And here's another important factor, be aware that interconnected carbon monoxide alarms usually only communicate with alarms made by the same company.
So, if you're installing several C-O detectors, check to be sure they're all compatible with each other.
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