We are thankful to report that the Deanna Moore family of Akron, Ohio are healthy and well today after a near death experience in their home. At 2:30am, Deanna was jolted awake from an odd sound, an alarm. It wasn’t loud like a smoke detector but it woke her enough to get out of bed. When she went downstairs to find the noise, she saw it was the carbon monoxide detector. Her immediate thought was that it was broken. The screen read 240 ppm! Levels above 150 can cause disorientation, unconsciousness, and death.
To be sure the detector was working, Deanna took it with her to measure the carbon monoxide readers in other rooms. The further she got from the source, the ppm went down. Deanna felt nauseous and dizzy and was finding it hard to concentrate, common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. Thankfully she was alert enough to start opening windows in the house and turned off the furnace.
Deanna stayed awake until the carbon monoxide levels went back down to zero from 240 ppm and went back to bed. An hour later, the carbon monoxide detector went off again!
This time, her husband, Geoffrey Moore awoke. He noticed melted ice had built up on the deck, so he shoveled and cleared the deck and melted ice. This is where the furnace exist the house (under the deck) and normally it dissipates but with the snow and ice build-up, it was trapped and that carbon monoxide seeped back into the Moore home. Once the snow and ice was removed, the Moore family went back to bed and the detector remained at 0 ppm the rest of the night.
This story could have ended in tragedy if they did not have an operating carbon monoxide detector at the location of the carbon monoxide. Deanna would like to warn other moms and families!
I would say to other moms, that having a carbon monoxide detector is an absolute must. My teenage son was spending the night at his friend’s house and I have a hard time thinking about him returning to his home to find his parents, brother and dogs gone. As moms we take steps everyday to keep our children safe – from car seats to safety town to online safety training. A carbon monoxide detector, which is under $50 must be one of those tools because the cost of not having one could be losing everything.
More on Carbon Monoxide and how detectors work…
What Does a Carbon Monoxide Detector Do and How Does it Work?
My Close Call with Carbon Monoxide Experience..
When I was in middle school, I got up for school as normal. I was always the first to get up in the morning due to my need for big hair! ha! I remember getting into the shower and that was the last thing until I found myself on the floor with my parents rushing into bathroom. I had passed out due to carbon monoxide. Thankfully I didn’t get hurt falling out of the shower. More importantly, I awoke from my alarm clock. There was something broke on the furnace, which was on the first floor in our utility room. The furnace repairman said that the levels of carbon monoxide were so high that it is a wonder that I woke up or even that my parents woke up when they heard me fall in the shower. We could have all died in our sleep.
Protect Your Family with Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Just like smoke detectors, every home that has at least one fuel-burning appliance/heater, attached garage or fireplace should have a carbon monoxide alarm. You should You’ll want to have at least one carbon monoxide detector on every level of your home, including the basement and attic. Ideally, you’d have one near each bedroom. If the home has only one carbon monoxide alarm, it should be installed in the main bedroom or in the hallway outside of the sleeping area. Find out more about where to place carbon monoxide detectors here.
There are many good carbon monoxide detectors on Amazon.com to choose from. This is the one that saved Deanna’s family from certain death. You can also purchase dual detectors for both smoke and carbon monoxide.
