If you hear your carbon monoxide detector beeping, most experts would recommend that you immediately call emergency services and get out of your home. Carbon monoxide can't be seen and has no recognizable smell, so it can sneak up on people and catch them unaware. The detector has a sensor in it that can alert you to the possible presence of carbon monoxide, and you should generally trust it. The one exception is if it you only hear your carbon monoxide detector beeping every minute or two, which could be a low-battery warning signal. In those cases, you should immediately replace the battery, and if there is no battery present, you should call emergency services just to be safe and exit your residence.
One other possible cause of a carbon monoxide detector beeping is a faulty or defective detector. Carbon monoxide detectors don’t last forever, and after a while, the detector inside will start to fail. When this happens, there is the potential for false alarms. Any time a carbon monoxide detector is beeping, it is generally a good idea to take emergency precautions, but if authorities find that there is no carbon monoxide in your home, you should replace your detector.
When people get exposed to carbon monoxide, they usually aren’t able to recognize any problems. Carbon monoxide can actually make you confused and relaxed, so many people who are exposed become drowsy and go to sleep without realizing anything is wrong with them. This is why a carbon monoxide detector beeping may be the only thing that can save you, and it’s why it’s generally very important to heed the warning. Other common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include nausea, vomiting, and headache.
The most common causes of carbon monoxide poisoning in the home are generally related to using gas fuel sources for things like stoves and water heaters. Another way people commonly get exposed is when they have a garage that is attached to their house, and they leave a car running for a long period of time. The carbon monoxide can gradually seep into their home without them realizing, and this can happen even if there is a door between the garage and the house. Wood stoves can also potentially lead to carbon monoxide exposure. Most experts suggest changing the batteries on your carbon monoxide detector twice a year as a precaution to keep them constantly functional.