Alarm.org Offers Tips for Carbon Monoxide Detection Irving, Texas (June 22, 2012) — As a homeowner, you're concerned with the safety of your family and home. You've taken the necessary precautions: Installing an alarm system to keep intruders away, testing your smoke alarm to protect against fire, and putting safety locks on the cabinets to keep your little ones safe from potentially hazardous household cleaners. But what are you doing to protect your family from one of the biggest—and deadliest—dangers in your home? That danger is known as carbon monoxide (CO), a colorless, tasteless and odorless gas that is undetectable by human senses. Carbon monoxide can emit from common household sources such as furnaces, fireplaces, space heaters, central heating systems, stoves that burn natural gas, and vehicles. While these products are designed to function safely, factors such as improper use,damage or faulty construction can cause a carbon monoxide leak. A carbon monoxide leak can become fatal in a matter of minutes. When a person inhales high levels of the poisonous gas, he or she may begin to experience symptoms including headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain and confusion.In fact, symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning often feel similar to the flu, which makes recognizing a leak even more difficult.So how do you protect your family from carbon monoxide? Alarm.org, a consumer resource for home security, recommends that you install carbon monoxide detectors in your home to alert you of unsafe gas levels. Place detectors near the ceiling on every level of your home and at least 15 feet away from gas-fueled appliances and dead-air spaces such as windows and doors. Make sure everyone in your home (including kids) knows what the detector sounds like. If your detector sounds, leave your home immediately. Once you are safely outside, call 911 and check everyone who was in the house for symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. It is important that you regularly test your detectors and change the batteries twice a year. The life span of a detector can range anywhere from 2-7 years, so check the manual and replace detectors accordingly. For more information about carbon monoxide detectors, contact a trusted alarm company. You can find a company in your area by using a resource such as www.alarm.org. An alarm company will be able to recommend safety measures and install detectors in your home. Carbon monoxide is a danger that is impossible to detect on your own, so let your alarm system and detectors help. After all, life protection is their one and only job.