Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detectors

In addition to protecting your home or business with home security systems, making sure that your family and property are safe from smoke and poisonous gases is just as important. Carbon monoxide is an invisible and odorless gas that can be accidentally released in the air due to malfunctions of heating sources, such as furnaces or generators. CO gas can be fatal if undetected. That's why installing carbon monoxide detectors in your home should be a top priority. Essential home monitoring devices like carbon monoxide alarms sense the presence of CO and alert you to evacuate immediately, helping to ensure everyone's safety. The same can be said of smoke detectors, which prompt an alarm to sound when they sense smoke filling the air. Experts recommend installing smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of your home, including the basement, to give you enough time to get out of the house. Safety experts also advise carbon monoxide alarms be placed near sleeping areas and on every floor. These life-saving devices should be replaced every 10 years and the batteries should be changed yearly at the same time you test the detector for proper functioning.

Whether you’re replacing existing detectors or installing one for the first time, you have options. Ionic and photoelectric smoke detectors use advanced technology to pick up hints of unwanted smoke or gas in the air, alerting you of potential danger. Dual sensor smoke alarms, which contain both ionization and photoelectric sensors, are also available. Smoke detectors can be hardwired and even interconnected so that when one alarm is triggered the rest of the alarms go off, too. That way, if the threat to air quality is in the basement and you’re two floors up, the alert will be equally loud throughout the house and you’ll have more time to put your home safety plan into action. The innovations in smart home products extend to smart smoke detectors as well, which can be connected to your home's Wi-Fi and networking system for added control and notifications to your smartphone.

You can choose a single unit or a combination smoke and carbon monoxide detector that handles both duties. Regardless of the design you go with, you’ll need to decide if you want hardwired devices or those that run on batteries. Plug-in carbon monoxide detectors access power through electrical outlets, eliminating the need for any professional installation. Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors can serve as just one part of a complete home automation system that may also include components such as water leak sensors and smart thermostats. Whether you’re home or away, these sensor alarms alert you to moisture problems and leaks, or temperatures that are much higher or lower than the seasonally appropriate setting. Before you shop Best Buy's extensive selection of smoke and CO detectors, be sure to check out the safety legislation of your city and state to be compliant for the type and quantity of alarms required.