Every year, according to the CDC, at least 430 people die of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning and around 50,000 people visit the emergency room due to accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. “Carbon monoxide is colorless, odorless, and tasteless, without a carbon monoxide detector, you may not know you’re being exposed to carbon monoxide until it’s almost too late,” Roydhouse explains.
When looking for a carbon monoxide detector, consider cost, battery life, ease of use, and accuracy. We researched dozens of carbon monoxide detectors and evaluated them for their price, battery life, accuracy, ease of use, and additional features to find you the best carbon monoxide detectors on the market today.
The device connects to the entire Google Nest Family where you can control all your smart devices in one app. Best of all, it will notify you and 911 in the case of an emergency, even if you aren’t home. “As people get back into the routine of going back to work away from home, that’s a nice feature to have,” says Roydhouse. “[It] prevents you from going home and being exposed and it allows you to take action if pets, children, or elderly folks are in the home.”
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What to Look for in a Carbon Monoxide Detector
Accuracy
Of course, the most important thing is that your carbon monoxide detector is accurate. Pay close attention to how sensitive it is and what levels of carbon monoxide it can detect. Some detectors are much more sensitive to low levels of gas than others, which could save you precious time in an emergency.
Power Source
Carbon monoxide detectors can be wired, battery-powered, plug-in, or some combination of both. The choice of what you get is up to you—it’s mostly a matter of preference. However, there are some things to keep in mind. If your detector is wired or plug-in, you’ll want to look at devices that have a battery backup power source in case your power goes out because that’s often when leaks go undetected. If you opt for a battery-powered device, make sure you check the battery levels frequently to make sure your detector is still functioning properly.
Crosswhite-Chigbue recommends, “The best way to protect your family is by installing battery-operated CO alarms or CO alarms with battery backup in your home outside separate sleeping areas and on each floor of your home.” Proper maintenance shouldn’t be taken lightly either since CO alarms are made to go off before carbon monoxide reaches fatal levels, “Replace batteries in alarms at least once every year. Test alarms every month to make sure they are working,” she says.
Ease of Use
Ultimately, if your carbon monoxide detector is difficult to use, you aren’t going to use it. Make sure that it installs easily and is easy to use when it comes time to schedule a test, check battery levels, or read carbon monoxide levels.
Added Functionality
If you want to keep your family safe, you might want to look for a carbon monoxide detector that comes with additional features. For example, some are two-in-one devices that function as smoke detectors, while others can sense other hazardous gases.
You might also be interested in having some smart features, especially if your home is already connected to other smart features. Plus, some will send you alerts right to your phone or allow you to schedule tests while you’re away. If these features appeal to you, look for detectors that pair with Google Home, Alexa, or that come with phone connectivity.
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“A lot of times, even if you start a car with the garage door up and you back the car out almost immediately, you’ll have residual carbon monoxide lingering in the garage space,” explains Roydhouse. “If you’re heating your home with a forced air system, when that cycles on it creates negative pressure that will pull air from around a leaky door… [and] it can potentially pull carbon monoxide in and push it through your duct work, distributing it throughout your home.”
Do not put the detector inside the garage though—just in the area of the house near it. You also shouldn’t put your detectors near the furnace room or any fuel burning appliances.
“Check smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors when you change the clocks in the fall and the spring,” Roydhouse says. “If you change the batteries every six months when you spring forward and fall back, you should be in pretty good shape.”
