Seven years later, carbon monoxide detectors need replacing

KENNEWICK, Wash.-- Since 2013, apartments, hotels, and new single-family homes are required to have a carbon monoxide detector installed.

Now, more than seven years later, many of the carbon monoxide detectors that were initially installed are reaching the end of their life-span, and that's causing them to malfunction, and that's led to a spike in 911 calls related to the devices.

"If your carbon monoxide alarm is beeping or sounding the alarm, you should evacuate the home and call 911, said Captain Brian Ellis, Deputy Fire Marshal for the Kennewick Fire Department. "The reason that they're starting to beep is because the sensitivity of the detector is probably at the end of its life span."

The CO detectors have a life span of 5 to 7 years, so those detectors that were installed in 2013 are beyond their useful life, and need to be replaced. You can find a manufacturing date on the device to determine whether yours needs to be replaced.

"The reality is that carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that can kill you," Ellis said. "So, make sure that your CO alarm is up to date, and has fresh batteries-- just like your smoke alarm. They both work 24/7 to protect you."

Carbon monoxide is also a heavy gas, so it's best to have a CO detector that close to the ground so it can detect the presence of the gas quickly as possible.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include a headache, dizziness, nausea, weakness, and confusion. If you start experiencing any of those symptoms, get to a well-ventilated area, preferably outside or near an open window. Carbon monoxide poisoning can cause you to lose consciousness, and as the levels of CO in the blood stream rise, it can be fatal.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 400 Americans die from carbon monoxide poisoning every year.