# Carbon Monoxide detector



## debodun (Oct 11, 2017)

I have a plug-in CO detector. A few day ago, it started intermittent beeping about every 30 seconds or so. This usually indicates the battery needs to be replaced in a battery operated unit. Mine does have a 9-voly battery as back-up power. I removed it and tested it and it was okay. I plugged it in again and it started beeping intermittently again. I read the fine print on the unit and to my surprise, it said that after 5 years it will do this to alert the homeowner that the whole unit should be replaced. What a rip-off - I have to but a new detector every 5 years at $60 a pop? Does anyone else have an AC powered CO detector and have to do this?


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## Smiling Jane (Oct 11, 2017)

debodun, I went looking and found this answer:

http://www.mouseprint.org/2012/10/29/carbon-monoxide-detectors-guaranteed-to-fail-in-7-years/



> The answer is that carbon monoxide detectors do indeed have a limited  life.  Inside many detectors is an electro-chemical cell that reacts in  the presence of carbon monoxide.  It tends to be very accurate.  But,  over time, the chemical can degrade and its performance is diminished.   Accordingly, a national safety standard for carbon monoxide detectors  published by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) requires that manufacturers  build in a warning system to alert consumers that the unit is no longer  functioning properly.


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## SeaBreeze (Oct 11, 2017)

Yes, the life on them is limited, I've been without one for a little while now and intend to buy another unit, probably from Costco.  I think it's important for everyone to have one in the home, we were keeping ours in the basement laundry room where the furnace is (fireplace down there too), but I think it's recommended to have it on the main floor, so the new one will either go in the kitchen or the bedroom.  

Mine had an ear piercing sound to it, and I'm concerned that my cat or dog will have their hearing hurt or suffer discomfort if they're near it when it sounds when you're resetting it, I always tried to make sure they weren't around.  Any thoughts on this?


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## Smiling Jane (Oct 11, 2017)

SeaBreeze, it's recommended that you place the alarm in or near your bedroom, possibly the hallway outside your bedroom. It's probably because so many people have died in their sleep from CO poisoning.

My cat sleeps through the CO alarm. Granted, she's a senior but still…

What all of my animals disliked is the strange intermittent beeping of the smoke alarm when it needs a battery change.


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## Camper6 (Oct 11, 2017)

$12 a year is worth the price of admission.

There are combined smoke and CO2 units now.

$60.00 seems quite expensive though.


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## SeaBreeze (Oct 17, 2017)

Just picked this one up from Costco, originally $35, on sale for $25.  Still in the package, so haven't used it yet.


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## Pappy (Oct 18, 2017)

Learn something new everyday. Didn’t know that they have a limited life. Guess I better replace the one, at camp, as I bought it when we got the camper in 1999.


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## nvtribefan (Oct 18, 2017)

I just replaced all my smoke/CO detectors this winter with the units with sealed 10 year batteries to back up the hardwiring.  They only last 10 years anyway, so no more changing out the 9volts.


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## Ruthanne (Nov 7, 2017)

I have one and have lived here well over 5 years and it hasn't beeped a bit.  I also have a very, very good smoke detector with a lithium battery.  I haven't had to replace batteries at all on them.


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