Are Smoke Detectors the Same as CO Detectors?

Purpose

• Fires generate smoke, so smoke detectors alert you to blazes by sounding an alarm when smoke gets inside the unit and sets it off. You get more time to escape the fire because you find out about it quickly. Certain common household devices, like gas furnaces and stoves, generate carbon monoxide and endanger you if a toxic concentration builds up indoors. CO detectors alert you to deadly concentrations of this odorless gas so you can evacuate the building.

Detection Methods

• Smoke detectors use ionization or photoelectric sensors to sense the presence of smoke in the air. The smoke interrupts an electrical charge inside ionization units, while it breaks a beam of light inside photoelectric detectors. CO detectors come in three basic models, according to Missouri Gas Energy. Biometric sensors have gel disks that get dark when exposed to too much CO, triggering the alarm. These models are inexpensive and use little power, so they can be battery operated. Metal oxide units must be plugged in because they draw a lot of power to heat the metal oxide, when then reacts with carbon monoxide when there is an excess in the environment. Electrochemical sensors are mainly used in industrial settings, and they have a short life span.

Location

• Both smoke detectors and CO detectors should be placed on every floor of a household. Smoke detectors should also be put in the basement if you have one, while CO detectors should not be placed there. Mount smoke detectors on the ceiling because smoke rises. Photoelectric models detect smoldering fires quickly, so place them in rooms with furniture. Ionization units respond best to flaming blazes, so put them where you keep flammables. CO detectors should also be mounted high, but keep them least 15 feet away from your furnace, according to the Austin, Texas, Fire Department. Do not put them in your kitchen, bathroom or utility room or you may experience false alarms.

Maintenance

• Smoke detectors and CO detectors are maintained in a similar manner. Vacuum them or dust them regularly so debris does not block their vents. Choose a specific date to replace their batteries annually if you are using battery-powered models.

Considerations

• Many companies make combination detector models that sense both smoke and CO. These detectors use two different technologies in one unit to warn you of smoke from a fire or deadly carbon monoxide levels.