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that are capable of assisting others to provide
assistance to those who may not be awakened by
the alarm sound, or to those who may be incapable
of safely evacuating the area unassisted.
WHAT THIS CO ALARM CAN DO
This CO alarm is designed to sense carbon monoxide gas
entering its sensing element. It does not sense smoke, heat or
flames.
When properly located, installed, and maintained, this CO alarm
is designed to provide early warning of potential increased levels of
carbon monoxide gas at a reasonable cost. This device monitors
the air and when it senses CO, activates its built-in alarm horn. It
can provide precious time for you and your family to escape from
your residence before a CO poisoning occurs. Such an early
warning, however, is possible only if the CO alarm is located,
installed, and maintained as specified in this User's Manual.
This CO alarm is designed for use within single residential living
units only; that is, it should be used inside a single-family home or
one apartment of a multi-family building. In a multi-family building,
the device may not provide early warning for residents if it is placed
outside of the residential units, such as on outside porches, in
corridors, lobbies, basements, or in other apartments. In multi-family
buildings, each residential unit should have CO alarms to alert the
residents of that unit. Devices designed to be interconnected should
be interconnected within one family residence only; otherwise,
nuisance alarms will occur when a CO alarm in another living unit is
tested.
NOTICE: GENERAL LIMITATIONS OF CO ALARMS
This CO alarm is intended for all dwelling units. It is not intended
for use in industrial applications where Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA) requirements for carbon monoxide
detectors must be met.
CO alarms will not work without power. A battery must be
connected to the CO alarm to maintain proper device operation if AC
power supply is cut off by an electrical fire, an open fuse or
circuit breaker, or for any other reason. In the event of AC power
failure, the battery will supply power for a minimum of 24 hours.
CO alarms may not awaken all individuals. If children and
others do not readily awaken to the sound of the CO alarm or if there
are infants or family members with mobility limitations, make sure
that someone is assigned to assist them in the event of an
emergency.
CO alarms for solar or wind energy users and battery
back-up power systems: AC powered CO alarms should only be
operated with true or pure sine wave inverters. Operating this CO
alarm with most battery powered UPS (uninterruptible power supply)
products or square wave or “quasi sine wave” inverters will damage
the alarm. If you are not sure about your inverter or UPS type,
please consult with the manufacturer to verify.
This CO alarm will not sense carbon monoxide that does not
reach the sensor. This CO alarm will only sense CO at the sensor.
CO may be present in other areas. Doors or other obstructions may
affect the rate at which CO reaches the alarm. For this reason, if
sleeping room doors are usually closed at night, we recommend you
install an alarm in each sleeping room and in the hallway of each
sleeping area.
CO alarms may not sense CO on another level of the
residence. For example, an alarm on the second floor, near the
bedrooms may not sense CO in the basement. For complete
coverage, it is recommended that an alarm be installed on each level
and tandem interconnected.
CO alarms may not be heard. The alarm decibel rating meets
or exceeds current UL Standards of 85dBA at 10 feet (3 meters).
However if the device is installed outside the sleeping area, it may
not awaken a sound sleeper, one who has recently used drugs or
has been drinking alcoholic beverages. This is especially true if the
door is closed or only partially open. Even persons who are awake
may not hear the sounding alarm if the sound is blocked by distance
or closed doors. Noise from traffic, stereo, radio, television, air
conditioner, or other appliances may also prevent alert persons from
hearing the alarm horn. This device is not intended for people who
are hearing impaired.
CO alarms are not a substitute for life insurance. Though
these CO alarms warn against increasing CO levels, Gentex
Corporation does not warrant or imply in any way that they will
protect lives from CO poisoning. Homeowners and renters must still
insure their lives.
550-0498
Pg. C-2
CO alarms have a limited life. Although the CO alarm and all of
its components have passed many stringent tests and are designed
to be as reliable as possible, any of these parts could fail at any
time. Therefore, you must test your CO alarm weekly.
CO alarms are not foolproof. Like all other electrical devices,
CO alarms have limitations. They can only detect CO that reaches
their sensors. They may not give early warning to rising CO levels if
the CO is coming from a remote part of the home, away from the
alarm. CO alarms may not alarm when a large influx of CO is
introduced into the house. An example of a possible source of a
large in-rush of CO is a generator running in an attached, enclosed
garage and the door to the connected residence is opened.
NOTICE: The horn in your CO alarm meets or exceeds current
audibility requirements of Underwriters Laboratories. However, if the
CO alarm is located outside a bedroom, it may not wake up a
sound sleeper, especially if the bedroom door is closed or only
partly open. If the CO alarm is located on a different level of the
residence than the bedroom, it is even less likely to awaken people
sleeping in the bedroom. In such cases, the National Fire Protection
Association recommends that the CO alarms be interconnected so
that a unit on any level of the residence will sound an alarm loud
enough to awaken sleepers in closed bedrooms. This can be done
by employing a systematic approach by interconnecting CO alarms
together, or by using radio frequency transmitters and receivers.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
ABOUT CO
WHAT IS CO? Carbon Monoxide (CO) is an invisible, odorless,
tasteless gas produced when fossil fuels do not burn completely or
are exposed to heat (usually fire). Electrical appliances typically do
not produce CO.
These fuels include: wood, coal, charcoal, oil, natural gas, gasoline,
kerosene and propane.
Common appliances are often sources of CO. If they are not
properly maintained, are improperly ventilated, or malfunction, CO
levels can rise quickly. CO is a real danger now that homes are
more energy efficient. “Air-tight” homes with added insulation,
sealed windows and other weatherproofing can ‘trap’ CO inside.
SYMPTOMS OF CO POISONING: These symptoms are related to
CO POISONING and should be discussed with ALL household
members.
Some individuals are more sensitive to CO than
others, including people with cardiac, respiratory or other
health problems, infants, young children, pregnant women and
elderly people can be more quickly and severely affected by
CO. People sensitive to CO should consult their doctors for
advice on taking additional precautions.
FINDING THE SOURCE OF CO AFTER AN ALARM
Carbon monoxide is an odorless, invisible gas, which often
makes it difficult to locate the source of CO after an alarm. A few
factors that can make it difficult to locate sources of CO include:
House well ventilated before the investigator arrives.
Problem caused by “backdrafting”.
Transient CO problem caused by special circumstances.
Because CO may dissipate by the time an investigator arrives, it
may be difficult to locate the source of CO. Gentex Corporation
shall not be obligated to pay for any carbon monoxide (CO)
investigation or service call.
HOW CAN I PROTECT MY FAMILY?
A CO alarm is an excellent way of protection. It monitors the air
and sounds a loud alarm before carbon monoxide (CO) levels
become threatening for average, healthy adults.
NOTICE: A CO alarm is not a substitute for proper maintenance
of home appliances.
EXPOSURE SYMPTOMS OF CO POISONING
Mild
Slight headache, nausea, vomiting, fatigue
(flu-like symptoms)
Medium
Throbbing headache, drowsiness, confusion,
rapid heart rate
Extreme
Convulsions, unconsciousness, heart and lung
failure. Exposure to carbon monoxide (CO)
can cause brain damage and death