inorganic chartreuse: Protecting Your Residents from Carbon Monoxide

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Protecting Your Residents from Carbon Monoxide | Real Estate and ...

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As a property manager or landlord, you?re responsible for the safety of your residents. You need to make sure that all your appliances are working correctly, and that your residents are safe against the dangers of carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide, when not detected, can kill a person in a matter of minutes.

Carbon monoxide is produced when fuel like gas, wood, kerosene, oil, or charcoal is burned. Sometimes when appliances are incorrectly working, it could produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide. To protect your residents and you from liabilities, it is your duty to ensure their safety from carbon monoxide.

Since carbon monoxide is odorless and colorless, it?s nearly impossible to be able to detect it. Therefore, preventative measures are key to protecting your residents. Take the following steps to make your properties safe from carbon monoxide:

Maintain your pipes, appliances, and flues.

Make sure that the pipes, appliances, and flues are well-maintained. Check for any excessive rusting on the pipes or appliances or if there?s any discoloration from your fuel-burning appliances. Damage to these could indicate a higher risk of exposure to carbon monoxide.

Install carbon monoxide detectors outside of every sleeping area.

Carbon monoxide detectors cost around $18 to $80. Install these approximately 10-15 feet from each sleeping area. Do not install these near a furnace, humid areas, or behind any obstructions (like curtains).

Regularly check on carbon monoxide detectors.

Simply installing carbon monoxide detectors isn?t enough. A battery-operated detector should have its batteries changed at least once per year. These detectors should also be cleaned from debris and dust according to the manufacturer?s instructions.

Replace the detector every few years.

Depending on the manufacturer?s instructions, there is a replacement age for every detector. It usually ranges between 5-7 years. Make sure you replace them at the advised times to ensure that the detector is at its peak.