This Nighthawk carbon monoxide (CO) alarm is an important part of
your family’s home safety plan. So important, that all consumer safety
groups in the UK recommend that every household should have at least
one carbon monoxide alarm. In fact, many claim that CO alarms are “as
important to home safety as smoke alarms.” Yet because CO alarms for
the home haven’t been available until recently, most people haven’t had
much experience using them. 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. And in
some basic ways, this is true. Like smoke alarms, CO alarms
continuously monitor the air in your home and sound a loud alarm to
warn you of trouble.
But, the similarities end here. The way you respond to a CO alarm is
quite different than that of 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 (if any) with your five senses: you could
see and smell the smoke, you could feel the heat, you could see and
even hear the fire burning. You could also readily see if your smoke
alarm were alarming in a non-emergency situation, say if someone
smoked up the kitchen with some seriously burnt toast. Because your
sense of sight, smell, hearing and touch give you so much information,
you could almost instantly judge what action to take if you heard your
smoke alarm.
But now, what about a CO alarm? Carbon monoxide (CO) is invisible,
odourless, tasteless and non-irritating–completely undetectable to your
five senses. That’s why it’s so important to your safety that you have a
carbon monoxide alarm. But, how do you know what to do if your unit
alarms?
You have to
learn
what to do, because your five senses won’t tell you.
That’s why this user’s guide is so important. Please take the time to
read this guide from cover to cover, to familiarise yourself with the facts
about carbon monoxide, how your new alarm works, and what to do
if it alarms. Then, find a handy place to keep the guide so it will be
readily available in the future when you have a question. You might
want to write down KIDDE Safety’s customer service telephone number
and keep it with your other important phone numbers for the same
reason.
Thank you for making Nighthawk a part of your complete home safety
program. With proper installation and use, your new Nighthawk CO
alarm should provide you with years of dependable service.
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Introduction
Notice we call this booklet a “User’s Guide” and not an “Owner’s
Manual.” This is because our intention is you
use
this guide just as you
will be using your Nighthawk CO alarm. Keep the guide in a handy
location and refer to it when you have questions about your CO
alarm, its functions and features, or if you have questions about
carbon monoxide. It will take about an hour of your time, but it’s well
worth it. Please read it in the sequence presented. Reading this guide
is the only way to learn how to use your CO alarm wisely and to
know how to react in the event of an alarm.
Part One
Your Nighthawk Carbon Monoxide Alarm,
covers the unique
features of your Nighthawk carbon monoxide alarm, how and where
to install it, as well as information on testing and maintaining your CO
alarm.
Part Two
Carbon Monoxide - The Silent Killer,
contains valuable
information about carbon monoxide (CO). From discovering the most
common sources of CO in your home to recognising the symptoms
of CO poisoning, this section provides tips and information that could
help protect your family from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Part Three
What You Should Know Before the Alarm Sounds,
describes
the effects of exposure to CO levels over time and when your
Nighthawk CO alarm will alarm. It also tells you how to determine
who is at high risk from CO poisoning.
Part Four
What to do When the Unit Alarms,
gives you step-by step
information on how to respond to an alarm situation. Also covered is
whom to call for help if you think you have CO in your home.
Part Five
Technical Information,
covers the technical specifications of your
Nighthawk CO alarm.
Part Six
Frequently Asked Questions,
contains the most commonly asked
questions about our alarms. Part six was written by KIDDE Safety
customer service representatives who handle thousands of calls per
month, year-round. This section provides you with answers and tips
that will most likely answer any questions you might have after
reading this user’s guide.
i
About This User’s Guide
900-0081 Benelux Manual 29/8/01 9:54 am Page 3
