Testing Carbon Monoxide Detector
The old CO detector is 5 years old so I replaced it with a state of the art digital CO detector. I inserted fresh batteries and pressed the test button. Everything worked. The alarm was loud enough...
Forum Discussion
The CO tester does not measure "instant" levels, rather it detects a concentration over time. I don't happen to know the exact numbers, but it is the sort of thing that a fairly high concentration for two or three minutes -- which will not harm you, btw -- will not show up at all. It takes a dangerous level for quite some time, maybe a half hour, to set it off.
I know of no safe, simple test that does not require some expensive lab equipment. That said, also be aware that no matter how glorious or expensive your CO detector is, its life is at most 5-7 years, at which point it will start beeping at you every minute or three. Your only option at that point is to throw it away (although some do have replaceable sensors).
I know of no safe, simple test that does not require some expensive lab equipment. That said, also be aware that no matter how glorious or expensive your CO detector is, its life is at most 5-7 years, at which point it will start beeping at you every minute or three. Your only option at that point is to throw it away (although some do have replaceable sensors).
