Carbon Monoxide Detector Buying Guide

While we all experience carbon monoxide in small doses here and there when sitting by the fireplace or using a gas stove, an excess of the gas can quickly turn poisonous and even deadly. According to the CDC, over 400 people per year die from accidental exposure to carbon monoxide, and more than 20,000 end up in the hospital because of CO poisoning.

It’s not an issue to take lightly.

Carbon monoxide is made even more dangerous by how difficult it is for humans to recognize it. We can’t smell it or see it and the first symptoms that show up resemble common ailments like the flu. The best thing you can do to protect you and your family from the dangers of unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning is to invest in a carbon monoxide detector.

CO detectors aren’t very expensive and they very literally save lives. With a working carbon monoxide detector, you’ll get a head’s up to the danger fast enough to leave the house and call in emergency services before it has the chance to really hurt you and your loved ones.

That’s why a carbon monoxide detector should be considered a necessity in every home, and you should make a point to replace it every 5-7 years so you don’t end up with an expired one. If it’s time for you to buy a new carbon monoxide detector for your home, here are the main things you should know to make the best choice.

Types of Carbon Monoxide Detectors

When you’re considering the best carbon monoxide detector for your needs, you have three main types to choose from (with some overlap between them).

Basic

If you don’t want to spend too much, but you want something you know will do the main job you need it to, a basic CO detector should do the trick. These offer carbon monoxide detection capabilities and an alarm to alert you when the CO in the air goes over a certain level.

You can find decent basic carbon monoxide detectors for as little as $15 to $20, with the occasional model that costs more due to a convenient feature like a digital display. These come in both battery-powered and hardwired options and should only be bought if you have a separate unit in your home that offers smoke detection capabilities.

CO and Smoke Detector Combo

If you want to save yourself the trouble of buying and installing both a smoke detector and a CO detector, then you have plenty of combination options to choose from. Carbon monoxide and smoke detector combos cost a little more than basic CO detectors, but you can still find fairly basic models that only cost $20-$30.

These options can save you time on dealing with multiple installations and will often save you money in comparison to buying both detectors separately.

Smart

The newest option on the scene, and an increasingly popular one, is smart carbon monoxide detectors. Most of these are combination CO and smoke detectors, and it’s a good thing, because they cost considerably more than their non-smart counterparts.

These cost around $90-$120, but they can alert you to dangerous CO levels in your home even when you’re away from the house at work or on vacation. That brings peace of mind that other CO detectors simply can’t match. And smart devices also offer the cool factor, which if we’re honest, makes a difference to some of us when choosing what to buy.

Factors to Consider When Buying a Monoxide Detector

The most important thing about carbon monoxide detectors is to make sure you have one and that you keep it in working order. The rest is simply a matter of preference.

Cost

Everyone should have a carbon monoxide detector in their home (and many homes should have more than one), but not everyone has much to spend on that kind of thing. If keeping costs low is important to you, you shouldn’t have much issue. Functional carbon monoxide detectors don’t have to be expensive. You can get by with $15 units, plus the cost of batteries. Most people can scrounge up $15 for an item that offers a life-saving service.

If you do have money to spend, that opens up your options some. You can get a carbon monoxide detector with features like a convenient digital display, voice notification, or a silence button for fake alarms by spending just a little bit more. Or you can upgrade to a smart CO and smoke detector for closer to $100.

Whatever you do, don’t let cost be a reason not to buy. Go with the simpler, cheaper models if that’s what you need to be able to afford a CO detector.

Ease of Use

CO detectors are generally pretty simple machines, so most people won’t have many issues with ease of use. Even so, some may be easier for some customers to use than others.

Battery-powered carbon monoxide detectors will need to have their batteries replaced every so often, which may be hard to manage based on where the batteries are located in the machine and how much work is involved in removing the old ones.

You want a CO detector that makes it easy to figure out how to test the machine (usually they’ll have an intuitive “test” button). And if you get a smoke and CO detector combo, a “silence” button will come in handy if the smoke detector is prone to false alarms.

A digital display may make it easier to set your preferences and check the status of CO in your house at any time, even if the alarm hasn’t gone off. And a carbon monoxide alarm made to last will save you the trouble of having to replace it any sooner than necessary.

Sensitivity

Most CO detectors on the market are designed to alert people to the levels of CO in the air that can cause serious issues for healthy adults, but lower levels can sometimes cause milder problems for adults, and even more serious problems for kids or anyone more prone to CO sensitivity.

If you want a carbon monoxide detector that will alert you to any levels of CO above normal, not just those that reach emergency status, then you should look for low-level detection unit. Alternately, you can look for one with a digital display that tells you to the CO levels at all times, so you can check it periodically to see what the levels are.

UL Rating

If you don’t feel the need to specifically seek out a low-level carbon monoxide detector, then look for any CO detector that has a UL rating.

These have been independently tested by the Underwriters Laboratories and determined to meet basic requirements for sensitivity. If your area has any regulations about what carbon monoxide detectors to use, making sure you get a UL-rated one should satisfy their requirements.

Power Source

Carbon monoxide detectors are either hardwired or powered by batteries.

• Battery-powered units are easier to install and often a little more affordable than hardwired ones. As an added benefit, you know they’ll continue to work during a power outage, but they require more proactive maintenance since you have to make a special point to remember to replace the batteries as needed.
• Hardwired units are harder to install, but if you’re replacing a CO detector that was hardwired, it makes sense to go with another hardwired one. Some of these come with backup batteries so that the unit will continue to work even if the energy goes out in your area.

Maintenance

For the most part, maintenance on CO detectors is fairly simple. You should test them out once a month or so, and most models include a “test” button to make this easy.

You’ll need to replace the batteries from time to time on any models that are battery powered, or for hardwired models that use backup batteries. And you’ll need to replace old CO detectors every 5-7 years.

None of that should involve too much work, but it’s important that you remember to do it all for the sake of your own safety.

Noise

For a CO detector to work, it has to be loud enough to alert everybody in the house to a problem when it occurs.

For that reason, you need to be sure to go with a CO detector that’s loud enough to wake up even the heaviest sleeper in your home. Most manufacturers will list a decibel level for their monoxide detectors. Units with 85 decibels is pretty standard.

Some models allow the option of a voice alarm. These can come in handy when you have multiple connected detectors, as they can provide more information on where the threat is coming from and whether or not it’s a smoke or CO threat.

For households that include someone who’s hard of hearing, you can also find carbon monoxide detectors that use strobe lights for the alarm, along with the noise.

Installation

Installation for CO detectors is usually simple enough that most people can do it themselves. Battery-powered models are easier to install than hardwired ones, but even hardwired CO detectors are manageable for most homeowners, as long as you follow the instructions provided.

If you’re not the most skilled DIYer, you can check the reviews or instructions in advance of choosing a model to get an idea of whether or not it’s especially difficult to install.

Remote Alerts

One of the biggest appeals of smart monoxide detectors is that you don’t have to be home in order to get an alert to a problem. Smart detectors allow you to download an app that’s connected to the device, so you’ll get an alert on your phone anytime the CO levels in your house reach unsafe levels.

Instead of coming home to an unpleasant surprise, you can alert the authorities or head home to check out the problem yourself as soon as it becomes a problem.

Features and Extras:

• Digital Display — A digital display makes your monoxide detector easy to program and can alert you to the levels in your homes at all times, not just when they reach emergency levels.
• Voice Notification — CO detectors with voice notification can provide more information when a problem occurs, letting you know which area of the house it’s in (if you have multiple connected units) and whether it’s a fire or CO issue (if you have combination detectors).
• Silence Button — CO detectors are intentionally loud, which can become an inconvenience once you know you’ve addressed the problem, or if you deal with any false alarms. A silence button makes it easy to turn the noise off, once you’ve checked the issue.
• Warranty — A good monoxide detector should last at least five years. A model with a strong warranty will ensure you have longer before you need to worry about replacing it.

Carbon Monoxide Detector Brands

There are only a few main brands working in the carbon monoxide detector space, but they have different reputations based on the types of products they provide and how they work. One final consideration you should therefore make in your search is brand reputation.

First Alert

First Alert makes a range of affordable, traditional carbon monoxide detectors that are generally well reviewed by customers. They say the detectors are easy to use and install, great for the price, and work well. A few were disappointed that their units didn’t last longer, but most feel they work well enough for the price.

Kidde

Kidde makes both carbon monoxide detectors and combo units that also provide a smoke detector functionality. They’re a well-respected brand in the space with strong reviews across models. Customers say the CO detectors work, are easy to install, and provide a good value for the cost.

Nest

Nest is a well-known name for smart home devices, and a combo smoke and carbon monoxide detectors is another one of their popular offerings. Customers like that their smoke and CO detectors provide updates about issues on their smartphones, so they can respond quickly whether home or not. And they say they’re easy to install and use. The first-generation models earned complaints about false alarms, but most customers of the 2nd-generation CO detectors are satisfied.

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Conclusion

A CO monitor can save your life. It’s not a purchase to put off or try to get by without. Figure out the model that’s right for you, and spend some money now to ensure a safer home environment for you and your family for years to come.

A carbon monoxide detector can save your life. But, when it comes to buying one, many homeowners are left