The temperature is cooler and the air a little crisper. The trees are almost bare. Winter is definitely on its way.
“You do have a carbon monoxide detector, don’t you?” asked my mother-in-law the other day. She also informed me that Ontario has made installing carbon monoxide alarms in homes a mandatory act. Thank goodness for that!
As the temperature gets cooler, Island dwellers are starting up our furnaces, wood stoves and heaters again. It is so important for everyone to be mindful of their family’s safety when it comes to carbon monoxide.
Duracell and First Alert have teamed up to share critical carbon monoxide safety tips to help keep you and your family safe.
Duracell and First Alert’s top five Carbon Monoxide tips for winter:
- Get a professional to check your furnace, your appliances and ensure your chimney is cleaned properly.
- Install at least one carbon monoxide alarm with an audible warning signal near the sleeping areas in your home, and have at least one alarm on each level.
- During power outages, if running a generator be sure to operate it in a well-ventilated area.
- Use the time change this month as a reminder to test your carbon monoxide detector and change its batteries with Duracell AA batteries.
- While it may be tempting to warm up the car on cold days, don’t leave your car running in the garage even if the garage door is open.
For more on carbon monoxide prevention be sure to check out the First Alert website at www.firstalert.ca. Duracell 9V and AA batteries are available at mass retailers nationwide for a suggested MRP of $7.99 (2pk and 8pk respectively).
PLUG-IN CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM
The First Alert Plug-in Carbon Monoxide Alarm easily plugs into any standard outlet with no additional mounting necessary. Mute button silences any nuisance alarms. Single button also tests detector functions. This detector utilizes an electrochemical sensor for increased accuracy. 7-year limited warranty. Meets UL standards.
Get dependable, long-lasting power from CopperTop batteries. These batteries have been engineered to deliver the power you need for all your household devices. And because Duracell is the #1 trusted brand of parents, pharmacists, and first responders, you know it’s a battery you can trust.
- Duralock Power Preserve™ Technology. Guaranteed for 10 years in storage
- 100% checked for quality assurance*
Giveaway
To help get you and your family on the right track for the winter season, Life on Manitoulin readers will be able to enter for a chance to win a Carbon Monoxide Safety prize pack valued at nearly $45*, including:
- Duracell AA Copper Top Batteries – $7.99*
- First Alert Carbon Monoxide Alarm – $35.99*
To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Open to residents of Canada. Ends November 29, 2014.
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Disclosure: I am a P&Gmom/mamanP&G. As part of my affiliation with this group I receive products and special access to P&G events and opportunities. The opinions on this blog are my own.
We just had the serviceman in to look at the heater and make everything is ready for winter. We have a CO detector on the main floor.
I rent so my landlord is in charge of the furnace, we do have carbon monoxide detectors too though
We get our furnace serviced and cleaned once a year and we get our chimmney sweeped once a year as we have a wood stove.
Since we rent, we tend to rely on the landlord to accomplish those things.
We don’t do anything different to prepare the house in the winter that I know of – I will have to ask my husband. We do have CO detectors – I had a scare once in an apartment I lived in. Its a must now!
We pretty much don’t do anythiing to prepare for the winter honestly! I think we should at least do the CO check!
I do random checks on our CO detectors throughout the year. Always put a fresh filter in the furnace for winter.
We put plastic on the windows. (you know the one that you use a hair blower to tighten it. )
I change the batteries in the smoke detector when we change our clocks. I also check windows/doors to see if new weather stripping is needed.
We have our heating system cleaned and inspected every three months. We also bought a generator this year to prepare for any power outages we may have this year. We have two carbon monoxide sectors.
We change our filter other then that we don’t really have any winter checks that we do.
We have a carbon monoxide detector already, but I’d love one for the second floor.
We get our furnace unit serviced every year and change the filter before we turn the heating on. That’s about it!
We get our furnace checked and cleaned.
we call in a company that checks our furnace, fireplaces, and the gas lines
We do have one Carbon Monoxide detector and it beeps when the batteries are low so we always know.
We don’t really prepare unfortunately… we do have one CO detector though.
We just packed up the patio set for the season. Got the gutters cleaned out and cuttings and pumpkins to the compose site.
We always have our furnace checked
we have a tester so i would give this to a family member who doesnt. we get our furnace inspected in the fall
To prepare for winter, we change the furnace filter and clean out the registers, clean the yard out and swap summer clothes for winter clothes in the closets 🙂
Always change out batteries when the clocks are changed back to Carbon detectors and smoke alarms. Thanks for the chance.
We have the oil company come in and clean/check everything before we start using it each year
Change the filters in the furnace, and clean the vents.
We check heaters before using. We do not have a carbon monoxide detector yet, must get one!
I have the furnace serviced late fall to make sure it’s ready for the winter. We also make sure to have plenty of new filters on hand so they can be changed regularly.
I clean the filter on the furnace and have the wood covered so the rain and snow doesn’t get on it.
We change batteries, check filters, test alarms, clean chimney every fall.
We prepare for winter by doing our usual rounds – making sure the windows seals are intact, bringing out thicker layers of clothes and blankets, and checking the CO2/Fire alarms and doing replacements (if necessary).
I don’t own, yet, so that isn’t an issue for me. But I do make sure to have my winter clothing and tools ready.
Check the alarms when the clocks go back
I have my furnace checked & I do have a Co2 detector
My husband will check all of our heating and windows for winter before turning on everything!
We change the filter on the furnace, put plastic on windows that are drafty and change the batteries in the one carbon monoxide detector we have.
My boyfriend got that under control .. I think?!
At our condo we have electric heat so we don’t have to worry about Carbon Monoxide but from May – October we live in our park model RV that has propane heating. Three years ago we had a propane leak from the heater while were in bed and the alarm saved our lives. It was pretty scary but we now make sure all our alarms are working. We are actually planning on getting a second CO2 detector to put in our bedroom in the RV because there are no alarms in there. Better to be safe than sorry!
We live in the Vancouver, BC area but still make sure we get our snow tires put on both our vehicles just in case; we might not get much snow but we need to keep our family safe out there. W e also just bought a new smoke alarm but would like to get another CO2 detector so we can have on each floor.
Living in Vancouver, BC we still prepare for the winter by making sure our vehicles have their winter snow tires on even though we don’t get much snow; just bought a new smoke detector and already have a CO2 detector but would like one for the top floor.
We have the furnace guy come by and do an emissions test and update our batteries in our Carbon Monoxide detectors.
We have crappy windows so we have to put the plastic insulation on them
We make sure to change the furnace filter. We do not have a Carbon Monoxide tester.
We check the smoke detectors and change the batteries. Put everything away that was outside. We did need a new carbon monoxide detector.
We get our furnace serviced & check batteries in smoke alarms
We change the furnace filter and check batteries in alarms. Please, if you don’t have a CO detector get one Now. The reason this is now law in Ontario is because my friend lost her sister, brother-in-law and niece and nephew to CO poisoning six years ago. The family fought long and hard to get the law passed and it finally happened.
Oh my gosh. Jennifer! That is so sad (and so scary). There’s a reason CO poisoning is called the silent killer.
we bring in all the outside furniture; shut the water off to the outdoor taps. We change batteries in the smoke detector. We have one carbon monoxide detector in the basement, but I would like to get one for our upstairs
We just moved, our new landlord is wonderful. She left for Florida about 2 weeks ago, before she did she had someone come in and check the furnaces/hot water tanks etc.