3
Introduction
This Kidde carbon monoxide (CO) alarm is an important part of your family’s
home safety plan. As a new owner of a CO alarm, there are some basic facts
you should know for your protection
and
convenience.
Many people think that CO alarms operate like smoke alarms. Like smoke
alarms, CO alarms monitor the air in your home and sound a loud alarm to
warn you of trouble.
The way you respond to a CO alarm is quite different than a smoke alarm.
That’s because a house fire and a carbon monoxide problem are two distinctly
different situations. If your smoke alarm were to alarm, you would quickly be
able to judge the level of danger you were in with your senses. You can see and
smell the smoke, feel the heat, see, and possibly hear the fire burning. You can
also readily see if your smoke alarm is alarming in a non-emergency situation,
for example someone smoked up the kitchen with some burnt toast. Because
your sense of sight, smell, hearing and touch give you information, you can
almost instantly judge what action to take if you hear your smoke alarm.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is invisible, odorless, tasteless, non-irritating, poisonous
gas that is completely undetectable to your senses. It is created when any fuel is
burned – gasoline, propane, natural gas, oil, wood, coal, and even tobacco. When
oxygen is limited during combustion, more CO is produced. Serious problems
can develop when combustion by-products are not properly vented outside the
house. That’s why it’s so important to your safety that you have a carbon
monoxide alarm.
Please take the time to completely read this guide to familiarize yourself with
the facts about carbon monoxide, how your new unit works, and what to do if
it alarms. Find a handy place to keep this manual so that it will be readily avail-
able when you have a question.
Thank you for making Kidde a part of your complete home safety program.
With proper installation and use, your new Kidde CO alarm will provide you with
years of dependable service.
