Carbon Monoxide Alarms

[Rob Foster]

I have been told that all CO alarms are unsafe after 2 years. The chemicals in the sensor degrade and are unreliable after two years. The scary bit is when the test button is pressed it only indicates battery status not the ablity of the unit to detect CO. There is no reliable way to test as cans of CO are not available. Is this right and if so all CO alarms should be stamped with a dispose of date. Rob Foster aka centralheatking

 

[Murdoch]

Aico units have a 10 year life and the replace by date is normally shown on a label on the unit...

 

[Harvest Fields]

Doubt that is true Rob or there would be a massive product recall

 

[Welder]

I have been told that all CO alarms are unsafe after 2 years. The chemicals in the sensor degrade and are unreliable after two years. The scary bit is when the test button is pressed it only indicates battery status not the ablity of the unit to detect CO. There is no reliable way to test as cans of CO are not available. Is this right and if so all CO alarms should be stamped with a dispose of date. Rob Foster aka centralheatking

Hmm. Think of things this way Rob. If you sold your top up system and it simply stopped working after 12 months, just how quiet would you be able to keep that news? Upscale that to a safety critical device and how long would that be kept quiet?

Bear in mind local fire brigades across the UK have been fitting these for many years now too and I feel sure they'd have noticed and kicked off big style.

 

[Rob Foster]

Thanks that is just what this forum is all about, I will go back to my informant cheers
Rob Foster aka centralheatking

 

[Chuck]

There's a quote from John Stones from a few years ago that could be the source of your information:

Test Button on Carbon Monoxide Alarms Does Not Test Them

I wouldn't want to generalise about all CO detectors but I'd agree with him that in order to test a gas detector properly it needs to be exposed to a known concentration of the gas it is designed to detect, i.e. CO in this case.

 

[Riley]

I agree but whilst I wouldn’t want to play devils advocate with somebody’s life I struggle to understand how these manufacturers can offer a 10 year guarantee if the product is not suitable for public consumption

 

[Rob Foster]

I agree but whilst I wouldn’t want to play devils advocate with somebody’s life I struggle to understand how these manufacturers can offer a 10 year guarantee if the product is not suitable for public consumption

I agree and this is why I asked
I have been brought up to challenge and not blindly accept, hence my intrest. I have an imminent appointment at my local fire station to discuss these very points....I have also rental properties and want my guests to be safe, and my understanding of gas regs is that if younarevaware of a problem you obliged to report it
regardless of where
Rob Foster aka centralheatking

 

[Rob Foster]

I agree but whilst I wouldn’t want to play devils advocate with somebody’s life I struggle to understand how these manufacturers can offer a 10 year guarantee if the product is not suitable for public consumption

Grenfell Tower ......springs to mind. centralheatking
I hope I am wrong

 

[Gasmk1]

Carbon Monoxide Alarm Test Gas Kit - 400ml | From Aspli Safety quite a few out there Rob

 

[Gasmk1]

Nest has 10 year sensor life

 

[Rob Foster]

Maybe an alert to bin all pre 2015 co monitors or test them might be the safe approach
centralheatking

 

[Rob Foster]

Carbon Monoxide Alarm Test Gas Kit - 400ml | From Aspli Safety quite a few out there Rob

Thank you thats brilliant but unless you do multiple tests nobody will spend £16.00 on testing a £10.00 sensor..Inwill right now...as I have properties
and need to be sure
thank you regards
Rob Foster aka centralheatking

 

[snowhead]

So CO Alarm test button doesn't test the sensor and that makes it unsafe for continued use?
Does a Smoke alarm button test the sensor?
Does a Heat alarm button test the sensor?

Surely the test button is more about whether the unit is powered.
Manufacturers spend millions on development of safety items to a point that they can guarantee with reasonable certainty that they will work for that guaranteed time.

What tests that a Car airbag is actually going to go off?
What tests that a car inertia seat belt will lock up?

The list is endless.

 

[Rob Foster]

hey I dont know all the answers but if I was pressing the test button on a CO monitor and think all is ok for my family or guests to go sleep and have a inkling it is not, then I posted it on here ...thats why, prove me wrong please do lets all be safe
Rob Foster ....centralheatking

 

[Welder]

hey I dont know all the answers but if I was pressing the test button on a CO monitor and think all is ok for my family or guests to go sleep and have a inkling it is not, then I posted it on here ...thats why, prove me wrong please do lets all be safe
Rob Foster ..centralheatking

Now now children...
Truth is Rob, if you have a record of 'testing' and that 'test' is fine then in law you have discharged your responsibility as all law is about being 'practicable'.
Even if you tested with a 'kit' with smoke or whatever, are you then supposed to test the test kit? Who checks the calibraTOR?
Snowy is correct, for parts to be CE or kite marked we can reasonably and safely assume they do the job they are designed to do - we have to assume that.
If your devices are labelled Dec 2018 and you leave 'em installed then it's a different ball game and the responsibility sits very squarely upon your shoulders.

 

[Pickwickpick]

As much as those of us with some experience are aware that the test button is just testing the battery&circuits, I'm not sure most of the general public ares. I can see most of them just happily pressing the test button once a year and changing the batteries and assuming all is good and not realising that they need replacing every 5-6 years.

 

[Rob Foster]

As much as those of us with some experience are aware that the test button is just testing the battery&circuits, I'm not sure most of the general public ares. I can see most of them just happily pressing the test button once a year and changing the batteries and assuming all is good and not realising that they need replacing every 5-6 years.

exactly where I was coming from....centralheatking

 

[firemant]

If your devices are labelled Dec 2018 and you leave 'em installed then it's a different ball game and the responsibility sits very squarely upon your shoulders.

Which is a very good reason for NOT fitting CO alarms in your rentals, unless you are in Scotland, untill the law says you have to.

 

[TMHM]

or, at least checking the "replace at" date labels on ones you have.

Maybe this could be a check for GSR folks?

 

[Captain.rick]

I have been told that all CO alarms are unsafe after 2 years. The chemicals in the sensor degrade and are unreliable after two years. The scary bit is when the test button is pressed it only indicates battery status not the ablity of the unit to detect CO. There is no reliable way to test as cans of CO are not available. Is this right and if so all CO alarms should be stamped with a dispose of date. Rob Foster aka centralheatking

I have read something a while ago about that.
There was a big question over how they can offer a 5/7/10 year life span.
The recommendation for testing is to buy a can of carbon monoxide and spray it into the sensor

 

[TMHM]

I have read something a while ago about that.
There was a big question over how they can offer a 5/7/10 year life span.
The recommendation for testing is to buy a can of carbon monoxide and spray it into the sensor

That sounds a bit overkill, when they are supposed to react to xPPM, not flooded by the stuff?

 

[Welder]

That sounds a bit overkill, when they are supposed to react to xPPM, not flooded by the stuff?

'Back in the day', when we used to do FA checks, we'd use a special can & cup on a long pole.
The cup covered the sensor and the can dispensed a 'solution' of gas and air at the correct concentration. Unf no idea about now!

 

[Ric2013]

Fairly sure one that I have installed says something in the MIs about the fact that you could resonably test with a lit stick of incense or lighted *** that would smoulder and produce CO as a result. Although it isn't the recommended method due to danger involved with using a burning object to carry out the test bla bla bla.

 

[Best]

I suppose it would be a belt and braces approach to fit an extra one or two smoke or CO testers