Remember that CO is an odorless and colorless gas. If your CO detector goes off, it has detected potentially dangerous amounts of CO in the air. Check to see if the occupants are showing symptoms of CO poisoning. Below are a few situations that can cause an incorrect alarm signal.
- The CO detector is poorly positioned: The detector should not be hung in damp places such as bathrooms and near cooking equipment. Also be sure to read the article "Where to install a CO detector" for more information on the correct placement of a CO detector.
- Incomplete fossil fuel combustion: check that the pilot light or flames are blue in color. Yellow or orange flames indicate incomplete combustion, which is a source of carbon monoxide.
- Battery low: check that it is not a "battery low" warning. If necessary, replace the batteries and see if the problem persists.