The baby proofer (Baby Safe Home) we hired is here today outfitting our house with baby gates, drawer and cabinet latches, toilet locks and furniture braces, all in an effort to keep Lucas safe.
We discovered that our home is NOT protected by a carbon monoxide detector. I am sick over this and needless to say we are having one installed right now.
My parents died of carbon monoxide poisoning, so this is a topic that is very near and dear to me.
I feel like such an idiot! I was under the impression that all homes built after 1980 (in this country) were automatically equip with one. I didn’t know how wrong I was!!
In North America, only state, provincial and municipal governments have statutes requiring installation of CO detectors in construction – among them: Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin and West Virginia, as well as New York City.
Please, please, please check that your home has one and if not, get one immediately!!
The devices, which retail for $20-$60 and are widely available, can either be battery-operated or AC powered (with or without a battery backup). Battery lifetimes have been increasing as the technology has developed and certain battery powered devices now advertise a battery lifetime of over 6 years. All CO detectors have “test” buttons like smoke detectors.
CO detectors can be placed near the ceiling or near the floor because CO is very close to the same density as air.
Since CO is colorless, tasteless and odorless, detection in a home environment is impossible without such a warning device. It is a highly toxic inhalant and attracts to the hemoglobin (in the blood stream) 200x faster than oxygen, producing inadequate amounts of oxygen traveling through the body. It can kill.
For more information, please visit the Public Safety and Security Information Hub Web site.
The best is yet to be and I will sleep a little sounder tonight.
Day 8/100
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I swear I thought I remember you guys getting a CM detector installed right after mom and dad passed away. Maybe I am thinking of someone else..maybe David and Gail..
Well, I am so glad that you had that Baby Proofer come to the house and discovered that you didn't have that. What else did she find that needed more protection from LMW?
I am getting a CM detector for our home this weekend!! I talked to my landlord and we don't have one in this house.
I never want to hear about anyone else losing a loved one because of this 'silent killer'.
P.S Didn't a week go by so fast?