Schedule Online for a FREE Carbon Monoxide Detector

A couple in Aurora is thankful for the carbon monoxide detector that alerted them to a problem with their driveway snow-melt system the day after Christmas. They said they had the detector for almost a year before plugging it in just two weeks before they needed it.

This underscores the importance of having a carbon monoxide detector in your home and to have it operational.

Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is a leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in the U.S. and it claims the lives of more than 500 people each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Another 20,000 people are treated in emergency rooms for the symptoms of CO poisoning.

The only safe way to detect this gas is with a working carbon monoxide alarm. That’s why we gave away over 1000 carbon monoxide detectors to our customers in 2009—and why we’ll continue to distribute free CO detectors in 2010.

To get your free UL-approved CO detector for your home, simply schedule your next AAA Service appointment online at www.aaatoday.com. These CO detectors have a retail value of $50 and include a battery backup to provide continuous protection to your family, even if electricity goes out.

Carbon monoxide is called the silent killer because it is tasteless, colorless and odorless. CO is given off by incomplete combustion of flammable fuels, such as natural gas, oil, wood or kerosene. Furnaces, boilers, water heaters, stoves and other appliances are potential sources of CO gas.

Two recent tragedies led to a new Colorado law requiring installation of CO detectors in new and resold homes, as well as in rented apartments and homes. The law is named “The Lofgren and Johnson Family Carbon Monoxide Safety Act” in memory of the individuals who lost their lives to CO poisoning.

Experts say furnaces and boilers should be inspected yearly and carbon monoxide detectors should be installed on every level of the home and near every sleeping area.