AT A GLANCE
- Carbon monoxide is a serious yet underestimated threat, often going undetected in homes without alarms.
- ULSE standards for CO alarms (UL 2034) are designed to save lives, ensuring alarms sound at life-threatening exposure levels, providing the most effective first line of defense against this invisible hazard.
Carbon monoxide is often called the “silent killer” for a reason: you can’t see it, smell it, or taste it. And you absolutely cannot ignore it.
Despite its risks, an in-home survey conducted by the Consumer Product Safety Commission found that 45% of homes had no CO alarm, even more than the 36% who said the same in UL Standards & Engagement’s CO Safety Assessment Report. That gap is more than a statistic; it’s a warning.
Our standard for carbon monoxide alarms (UL 2034) is designed to alarm when CO reaches life-threatening levels, signaling that people need to leave immediately.
Detection is prevention. A CPSC investigation found that in 94% of carbon monoxide deaths, no alarm was present. A CO alarm is the first, and sometimes only, line of defense against an invisible threat.
What to Know About CO in Your Home
Carbon monoxide is a toxic byproduct of combustion; it can be produced by any fuel-burning appliance or machine, including your gas stove, furnace, water heater, fireplace, car, portable generator, and so on. In everyday environments, individuals may be exposed to low levels of CO for brief periods of time, such as 5 – 15 parts per million from a properly adjusted gas stove, per the Environmental Protection Agency.
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning (nausea, dizziness, headaches, vomiting, and confusion) can be similar to a common cold or flu and might be ignored until it’s too late, as high levels (often from unexpected occurrences like a malfunctioning appliance, or a blocked vent) can be deadly.
The biggest danger from CO is not having a fully functioning alarm, which is the unfortunate reality for more than 86 million Americans (and their families).
When a Carbon Monoxide Alarm Will Sound
Carbon monoxide alarms certified to our standard, UL 2034, are designed to alarm before potentially life-threatening levels of CO are reached and when immediate action is needed. They will not sound from brief exposure, like from lighting a gas stove. There is never a reason to ignore or disable a CO alarm. If your CO alarm does go off, immediately evacuate your home and call 911.
CO alarms certified to UL 2034 will sound when:
- CO levels exceed 70 ppm for one hour
- CO levels exceed 150 ppm for 10 minutes
- CO levels exceed 400 ppm for four minutes
Nuestro proceso de elaboración de normas
ULSE standards are carefully developed and maintained by technical committees comprised of experts including government regulators, university researchers, manufacturers, and the fire service, among others. Ongoing maintenance to our standards is informed by science and data, and updates are carefully deliberated by the expert committees to help ensure safety for innumerable products and systems in everyday life.
We invite any interested parties to contribute to the ongoing development of UL 2034 by participating in our standards development process. And we urge all individuals to safeguard their homes, businesses, and recreational spaces against CO exposure with every possible measure – especially CO alarms.
