Home safety items you should be using

November 16, 2012

Today I'm sharing some of the necessary stuff when it comes to houses -- a few of the safety precautions we take around the house. 

Smoke alarms 
Of course there are the smoke alarms – it’s so important to keep those up to date with fresh batteries! And I’ve considered changing out the one in our son’s room to the kind that uses your voice to wake them up. Some kids sleep so hard and I think that is a brilliant idea. Do any of you use that one?  

Fire extinguishers 
We always keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, close to the oven:
kitchen fire extinguisher
It’s just a little one, but it would be better than nothing. I always know we have it if we need it, but every six months or so I take a couple minutes to look at the instructions and read how to use it (again). It’s SO simple, but it’s not something I look at every day, so I forget how to operate it. I know in the heat of the moment I won’t want to take the time to read if it something is burning. Like dinner. It’s happened. Well…close. ;)

Also, extinguishers have an expiration date of sorts – they don’t last forever. Ours usually last a few years. You just look at the little gauge and it will tell you if it’s full or empty:
fire extinguisher gauge
Once it says empty you’ll want to replace it. (I’ve heard giving it a little shake every few months helps them keep longer.)

Radon testing
And then there’s the stuff you can’t see – if you have a basement it’s recommended that you have a radon test done. The need for a test is higher in certain parts of the country, (Indiana has a higher concentration of radon in the ground) but no matter where you are, if you have a basement, I’d get one done.

You can find them at the store if you want to try it on your own:
radon test kit
This test is only about $10. You do need to send the test off to be read and I’m pretty sure you pay extra for that. We’ve had our basement tested twice – once about four years ago when we really started using the (still unfinished) basement. I just bought a test from a hardware store and sent it off. If I remember right they emailed us the results. The levels were low enough we didn’t need to worry, but because we finished the basement this year and I knew we’d be down there more than ever, I had a professional company come in this last time. 

They did a faster reading – it still took a couple days, but less than the test you send off. This time the reading was extremely low, which was a relief. But the levels can change, so we’ll have the test done once a year.
I’ve talked to some who say there’s not much to the radon gas issue – but I have done enough research to know we’d rather be safe than sorry. 

Carbon monoxide detector 
And the one safety measure we take that I was reminded of recently is a carbon monoxide detector in the house:
carbon monoxide detectors
Last winter I kept hearing a beeping upstairs somewhere, and I of course thought it was a smoke alarm battery, so I went all over the place one day with my BFF holding the bottom of a ladder as I climbed to terrifying heights to change out batteries. I would do one, climb down, (we have tall ceilings up there), still hear the beep. Try another one, climb down, still hear the beep. 

It was maddening. My friend FINALLY located the source – our carbon monoxide detector had expired. Of course my initial thought was PANIC – I thought the beeping  meant we had poisonous gasses running throughout our house, but I quickly realized it was telling us it wasn’t working any more. (It usually tells you what the “beeps” mean on the detector.) 

So it’s been awhile since that one pooped out on us (they last anywhere from a few to seven years), and this week I was reminded it was time for another:
carbon monoxide detector
If you only have one in the home (or if you have a one level house), it is recommended you keep it in your bedroom. Our last one was a plug in type, but these are battery-operated so they will stay on during power outages. 

What’s nice is you can place these anywhere in the room you want. I put one in the family room on the floor behind a table, one next to the bed upstairs and one in the basement. 

It’s just a little thing but it already makes me feel so much better. There’s already so much to worry about, am I right?
These range from about $20 to up to $60. I got the mid-range version that was $30. (I don’t see a huge difference in the pricier versions.) And while I was at True Value I picked up two extra carbon monoxide detectors to give away to two of you this weekend as well. Hopefully they will help put your mind at ease too!
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Comments

  1. Thanks for the give away. We need a new detector. Ours died not too long ago, too! :)tulips_19 @ yahoo.com

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  2. The timing of this post is so funny. I sent a copy of the Thanksgiving menu to my family. My brother made a note at the bottom saying, "Sis is cooking so someone should bring a fire extinguisher." Haha. Even though it was a joke it made me think that I really should get one. While I'm at it, a carbon monoxide detector would be a good thing to have too. Thanks for the chance to win!

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  3. Very good post! Informative too!

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  4. We have never had a carbon monoxide detector, but i will be looking into them soon. Or maybe I'll win one. :-) Thank you for the chance!

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  5. My husband and I are just about finished with our home renovation and about to move in. A carbon monoxide detector is just one of the 100 things we need before we move in!

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  6. I've got these kinds of things on the brain! We're planning on adopting soon, so we're having to update and add safety features like this in order to complete our home study.

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  7. Very informative and needed. With so many things going on during the holidays we often forget these types of things. Thanks for the reminder.

    pamb527@hotmail.com

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  8. Great post. I'm reminded that I don't even have an extinguisher in our house. And since we've added a gas range recently, I need to get a carbon monoxide detector. Thank you.

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  9. We have been planning to buy some carbon monoxide detectors. Thanks
    Jenny
    Jsd.1@hotmail.com

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  10. I live on the south side of Indy and felt the explosion at my home. Very scary! Great ideas on safety! I will be using many if not all of them. I noticed that the newer smoke detectors are also carbon monoxide ones too. I plan on replacing all of ours.

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  11. We just changed all our smoke alarm batteries but have never considered carbon monoxide detectors...thanks!

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  12. I would love to win. We don't have one in the house yet and this was a good reminder that I need to be proactive in guarding my family's safety!

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  13. OMG!! I saw that tragedy in Indiana. We live in N.C. and have no basements, we do live in a two story house. We were just saying we need a fire escape ladder and a carbon monoxide detector. Would love to be lucky enough to win this. At least we could scratch one off of our list.

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  14. This was very informative! I will be looking into the detectors. In fact, I'm going to Home Depot tomorrow so I will definitely check the carbon monoxide one out. Thanks! :)

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  15. Safety around the home is SO SO important! And it's definitely one of those things you tend to take for granted until there's an accident or something... so scary! We NEED a carbon monoxide monitor in our home speaking of!! Thanks for the reminder.

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  16. Great post! We have a one level house, but we have a carbon monoxide/smoke detector both in the hallway near the furnace and in the laundry room near the water heater. The furnace and water heater are the only things that run on gas. We also have smoke detectors in each bedroom. You reminded me to test them this week! :)

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  17. Would love to win! What a great and practical prize! Thanks for the chance. :)

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  18. Great post! Thanks for the reminders. When we moved in to our rental house a couple of months ago, the first thing I did was check the smoke detectors and plug in our carbon monoxide detector. Thanks for the giveaway!!

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  19. Reminded me to go change my batteries in my smoke alarm. We do not even have a carbon monoxide detector so it would be nice to win one.

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  20. What a thoughtful give a way! I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving. And good luck to all.

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  21. I could definitely use a carbon detector as we do not have one. I did hang a fire extinguisher in the kitchen near the stove. I put it far enough away that if there were a fire on the stove, I could still get to the extinguisher, and I put it at a height that my older kids could easily reach as well. Its not pretty looking but safety first here!

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  22. This is a great giveaway! We just purchased our first home for us and four kids, and would love to make it as safe as possible!

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  23. So sad what happened in your home state. We don't have one but would loved to be entered in the giveaway! thanks! love the blog!

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  24. Oops, I guess I should leave someway for you to get ahold of me.

    Lisa

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  25. Thanks for offering the giveaway. Home safety is always a big concern of mine.

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  26. Our home inspector encouraged us to get a CO2 detector that would sit near the ground as the gas would settle there first and would have already done its damage by the time the ceiling version detected it.

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  27. Oh, this would be great. We don't have these, but we should. I don't know why we've never picked them up.

    Thanks for the opportunity!

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  28. You're very kind to give away a carbon monoxide detector, Sarah, and I'd love to win one! The safety stuff really is important, and sometimes we all get so busy we let things slip through the cracks. Thanks for the reminder to stay vigilant!

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  29. Thanks for the reminder to make sure our homes are safe. I've been meaning to get the radon test and carbon monoxide alarms.

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  30. Thanks for the giveaway! I would love one of these! It's always important to be safe. We dont have one in our rental and the homeowners wont get one. I would love to win one of these!
    jesva10 at aol dot com

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  31. That is an awful tragedy :( Good reminder though, we need to buy a fire extinguisher. We're buying our first house and had radon testing and levels were high, thankfully the seller agreed to pay for the mitigation system! We'll be doing an in home test afterwards to double check. Happy Friday! Stephanie

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  32. I don't even think we have one. Thanks for the wakeup call.

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  33. Thank you so much for this post. You reminded me that we have not replaced our carbon monoxide detector after our last one died. We had a plug in one and I think the battery ones would be much better and you can put them wherever you want.

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  34. What a great n also conscious giveaway!!

    Todayimet(at)yahoo.com

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  35. We had a scare about a year ago when I smelled gas in the hallway in the middle of the night. I was going to check on my son who was calling me and realized the entire house (2 stories) was full of natural gas. Turns out the burner on our stove was leaking.

    We were so grateful nothing tragic happened. And thankful that my son woke up that night and called me (he was 5 at the time and had been sleeping through the night for years).

    Thanks for the giveaway!

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  36. Thanks for the contest. I just recently learned about these detectors and that they are required when you sell a house. I don't have one yet, so it'd be great to win one!

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  37. We need one, thanks for the reminder and the giveaway!

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  38. Given that my husband just installed a new furnace in our house (yes, HE did it, with help from a buddy who does furnaces for a living!) we would love to add a carbon monoxide detector to our house! We've got one for the two floors...

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  39. I'd appreciate one of these for my home. Thank you!

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  40. I have one on our main floor but need one for upstairs, especially with a little one on the way!

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  41. We need some extras for our house and would love to win some! Thanks!

    sheridack (at) yahoo (dot) com

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  42. Hope I don't post twice, I'm not sure if I did it right. Anyways, my fiancee and I just bought our first house and would LOVE to win one! We've realized between the closing costs and down payment we won't be able to afford everything we considered safety necessities. And we agree about the radon! We will be getting a test done with our home inspection on Wednesday!
    Sharon shar20ice(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  43. Would love to win one! As a mother of two toddlers ; safety is on my mind 24/7.

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  44. That reminds me, I should go check our fire extinguishers... They're probably ready for replacement. And we've only got one carbon monoxide detector for our huge house, another one would be a blessing!

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  45. I'd love to win one! Thanks for the chance.

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  46. getting a carbon monoxide detector has been in the back of my mind for a while now.

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  47. Literally did the same thing two days ago...ran around, chasing after the beeping smoke detectors and realized after THREE that it was the co2 monitor. It's dead. Like forget new batteries dead. So either I am buying one or I am winning one from you! Regardless every family should have at least one in their home, great awareness post!

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  48. I would love to win this ! The timing of the giveaway is on point as I was telling my husband about this for our new home.

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  49. I recall reading a story in the paper a few years ago about a family who woke up in the middle of the night with headaches, dizziness, and nausea. They thought they had the flu or food poisoning...until the cat fell over! They literally ran from the house and were saved from lethal carbon monoxide poisoning.

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  50. So strange that you are doing this giveaway! Just this week, we had a local tragedy when a Marine came home on leave, stayed at a friend's apartment after surprising his family and never woke up. There were no batteries in the carbon monoxide detector in the apartment he was staying at. So sad. Thanks for writing this post and spreading the word on how important safety precautions are.

    jeanmarie80(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  51. Thanks for the reminder to check the fire extinguisher ! And I'm due to change out the carbon monoxide detectors. Thanks for the opportunity.
    Dana
    Bifdiehl at embarqmail dot com

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  52. Read about the explosion (being from Indiana as well)- very crazy and scary...this was a good reminder and I'll be checking into getting a second carbon monoxide detector!

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  53. Thank you so much for this post! I learned a lot from it. We don't have a carbon monoxide detector and I would love to win one... We have a four year old and times are tough time time of year. Thank you so much, Sarah, you're awesome. Love reading your blog!!

    Emily
    amusedbylife (at) hotmail (dot) com

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  54. It's funny b/c I have been thinking we needed to get some Carbon Monoxide detectors. I finally went and got one knowing that I really need 2-3 for this house. But since they were $30 a piece I figure I will buy one each paycheck until I have all 3 but if I win these two then I would be all done! :-)

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  55. I need to get a few, too. It would be wonderful to win one!! Thanks for the chance :)

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  56. Great reminders! A fire extinguisher and carbon monoxide detectors are going on the "to get" list!

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  57. I would love one, don't have one!

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  58. Thanks for the post and a chance to win! While reading this isn't as much "fun" as your decor posts, it is probably more important in keeping safety on our minds.
    carpoolmch(at)aol(dot)com

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  59. We always say we need one of these!

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  60. About ten years ago a loud beeping woke me up in the middle of the night. My carbon monoxide detector was beeping. I felt a little strange calling 911 because I never did that before, but I'm glad I did. They came and I had a gas leak inside my house and needed to evacuate.
    michsmith70(at)gmail(dot)com

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  61. We could use one of those! I think ours is on it's way out.

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  62. We definitely need a new carbon monoxide detector. I can't remember the last time we checked ours even though I tend to be paranoid about that sort of stuff.

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  63. Great post. I could really benefit from a safety redo. shareedgreen2000(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  64. Never thought about carbon monoxide detectors before. Thanks for the info and for the giveaway!

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  65. Would be very thankful for a new detector. Thank you!
    Steph
    stharder AT huntel DOT net

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  66. I need one of these for my home. I hope I win. Thank you and Happy Holidays!

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  67. Thank you for this reminder post! I will be getting a fire extinguisher and a carbon monoxide detector very soon! Maybe I could win one:)

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  68. Love your blog gives me plenty of tips!! (Husband may not be as keen LOL). I live in Australia and have never heard of a safety device like this. Obviously we do have smoke detectors and our state fire brigade have an advertisement to change your smoke detector batteries on every April Fools Day (1 April), which helps me remember to do!!! Louise

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  69. We recently bought new ones and new ones for my daughters place (before the explosion). My sisters house burned to the ground from a water softener malfunction. I kinda know what those folks are going through. We took clothes down yesterday to donate. It's really sad...I after seeing all the pictures I don't know how they will ever tell what exactly happened.

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  70. I have two small children and this is frightening but informative! Thanks!!

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  71. I rent but I shouldn't leave our safety up to my landlord. Thanks for the reminder.

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  72. Thanks for the safety reminders. I have one upstairs in my child's room, but I don't have one on the main level. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  73. I actually have carbon monoxide detectors on my shopping list RIGHT NOW! We have 3 in our home and two have gone caputs on us. I sleep much better at night knowing I have detectors.

    (pjdupuis at gmail dot com)

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  74. We're in the market for a new detector, so this is perfect timing. Great post, thanks for the reminders. smiliefam at gmail dot com

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  75. I just recently found out that these detectors have a shelf life and I am in the process of replacing them ALL. I think they are original to the home. I decided to go with CO2/smoke interconnected combos. Thanks to your post, I will examine my extinguishers too!

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  76. Thank you for not just being the caring person to your family, but for caring in your own way for all of us. These reminders are PRICELESS.

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  77. funny...we've done everything on your list BUT the Carbon Monoxide. Here's hoping for a win :)

    Thanks!

    ramoody77(at)gmail(dot)com

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  78. I love that you have created a post on safety. I'm glad you are one of the lucky ones with radon. We ended up with the whole system to rectify our problem. I love you site and your great ideas.

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  79. I was making blueberry muffins with my kids in the morning they were 1 and 3 at the time and it started going off. Needless to say we needed a new oven. The fireman reccommended we have an alarm on each floor of the house. Great advice!

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  80. Meredith , malaub33@yahoo.com

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  81. I have 6 smoke detectors in my house but no carbon monoxide detectors. Thanks for the reminder.

    Catherine
    cdtipton(at)yahoo.com

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  82. Thanks for the giveaway! Building a new home and would love to win! Happy Thanksgiving!!!

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  83. Thank you for these invaluable reminders--you may have literally saved lives. Thank you for the chance to receive a cm detector, and for your most inspirational blog!

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  84. I was just thinking yesterday that we needed to get CO detectors for our house! Thanks for this post!

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  85. Hello! I have never posted a comment, but I have been reading your blog for almost 3 yrs! I love it!

    I decided to post on this one for the chance at winning. My current carbon monoxide detector is build into my fire alarm and it talks to you, but I am starting the foster parenting process and would love one in the child's room.

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  86. I've been meaning to get a carbon monoxide detector. What perfect timing. Thanks for giving us a chance to win.

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  87. We have a gas fireplace which always freaks me out a little, so I'd love to have a CO monitor!

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  88. If I win I would give 1 to my grandparents bc they dont have one and i would keep one in my house. Thanks for another great give away!

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  89. What a great article- thank you! I have my first house and with your article I have realized I don't have a fire extinguisher- yikes!! And thanks for the great giveaway.

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  90. We've had our fire extinguisher for years (like 8)- it's still full. If it ever does get empty, I'll just take to the fire station to be replenished.

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  91. I have been thinking I should get a carbon monoxide detector. Thanks for the reminder.

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  92. What a fabulous giveaway!!!! Thanks for the chance I would totally love one!

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  93. What a great giveaway! My carbon monoxide detector just expired so the timing is perfect.

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  94. With 5 kids you'd think I would have had enough sense to get a carbon monoxide detector but I haven't I love reading your blog! I'm addicted! Thanks for a chance to win a detector

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  95. Would love to win one, thanks for thinking of our safety! slspencer2000 at yahoo dot com

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  96. Great advice! And, for those in two-story homes, make sure you have a safety ladder in each bedroom, and know how to use it.
    Kinda, sorta, along the same lines, with Christmas coming, there are many things in your home that can be dangerous or deadly to your pets, certain plants, the danger of broken glass ornaments, tinsel, chocolate (can be deadly for dogs) etc. Yes, pets will eat weird stuff, with possibly disastrous results. So while you are making your family safe,think about the 4-legged members, too!!
    Great Post!!!

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  97. If I win I would give 1 to my grandparents

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  98. i had recently looked this up because ours fell off the wall and i wanted to move the location, so i thought i'd share this with you from the CPSC: CPSC recommends that one CO alarm be installed in the hallway outside the bedrooms in each separate sleeping area of the home. CO alarms may be installed into a plug-in receptacle or high on the wall. Hard wired or plug-in CO alarms should have battery backup. Avoid locations that are near heating vents or that can be covered by furniture or draperies. CPSC does not recommend installing CO alarms in kitchens or above fuel-burning appliances.

    ours was low on the wall in the hallway that is outside all the bedrooms, which is why it kept getting bumped and eventually fell off. after reading the CPSC recommendations, i know know it is safe to move it high on the wall in the hallway!

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  99. Great post! However, I would like to point out that having an extinguisher by the stove/oven - while a good idea - is not always the best recommendation. It is recommended that fire extinguishers be placed next to an exit door. That way, when you run to get the extinguisher, you also have a quick exit if the extinguisher doesn't work (for whatever reason). Too many extinguishers are placed so that you have to run INTO the house (and potential fire), then get stuck with no way out. Also, make sure the extinguisher you place by the stove/oven is made for electrical fires - not all extinguishers are the same. I have been a disaster worker for many years and just recently took a 4 week emergency/disaster trainingclass with our fire department & Red Cross. Just want to keep everyone safe as possible ...

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  100. Thanks for the reminder! I really need the carbon monoxide detector.
    -Tonia

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  101. Well that is very kind. Thanks for taking the time to write about these things, & also for the offer.

    If I don't win, I promise to go buy another. thanks
    Chrissy

    ccsaudera
    tgmaildotcom

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  102. What a thoughtful giveaway! And yes, we do need a new one. Ours expired and I keep forgetting to replace it. Have a great weekend and Thanksgiving!
    Dawn
    dccrader(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  103. We had a carbon monoxide detector in our old house (over 50 yrs old), but haven't put one in our newly built one yet. Great giveaway! Thanks

    stephanie.sanders@cemex.com

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  104. We dont'even have any carbon monoxide detectors--that would be BRILLIANT. FYI--after following your great direction on installing board/batten in your office--I"m pleased to say that we got all those boards up on our bathroom walls and they look amazing. Thank you SO much for all the hard work you do. Belinda Aguirre

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  105. Thanks for the great giveaway and reminder to buy a detector.

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  106. I have a CO detector in my basement, but none on the first & second floors. Would love to install! Thank you!

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  107. Thanks for the good reminders. I need to invest in these safety items.

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  108. I almost didn't read this post but I'm SO glad I did. We had a factory installed CO detector in our RV and it quit working. We weren't sure how to get it fixed, but these battery operated types would be perfect! Thanks for the great tips. Love, love, love your blog.

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  109. Good post. Thanks for the giveaway.

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  110. Thanks for all your information, and for the giveaway!

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  111. I never think about buying a carbon monoxide detector. Guess I need to.

    Jennifer at
    brijendelk(at)aeneas(dot)net

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  112. What a smart and lifesaving giveaway.

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  113. Thanks for the reminder. I really need to get one of these.

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  114. I always remember how to work a fire extinguisher by PASS - P: pull pin, A: Aim low, S: Squeeze, handle, S: sweep base of fire. Easy way to remember!

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  115. Great tips, and I will be checking our fire extingiusher for sure. No carbon monoxide detectors, would love to win!!

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  116. Great tips, and I will be checking our fire extingiusher for sure. No carbon monoxide detectors, would love to win!!

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  117. Great post and tips! We don't have one of those yet! Thanks for the opportunity.

    Seasidesmitten@aol.com

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  118. Excellent reminder! I have a detector upstairs but probably should have one downstairs too!
    mrandmrsa5atyahoodotcom

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  119. I would love to win one of these detectors! I don't have one.... probably should though. Hum....

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  120. We are now a family of six, and I cannot even imagine losing our home or anyone in our family. Thank you for the safety reminder! And i didn't know that carbon monoxide detectors could expire. Thats probably why the one on our smoke detector was beeping similarly to yours. Time to change them out!

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  121. I have been wondering if that was anywhere close to you. It was truly awful. Thank you for reminding us all about checking all of these items.

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  122. We had a carbon monoxide scare with a 1-week-old in the house. It was a wake up call that everyone should always always always have a working carbon monoxide detector in the house. Ours might have saved our lives. I hope I win these, I would use them in my kids' rooms. Thanks! jennygarrard at hotmail dot com.

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  123. Would love to win one. Your post reminded me that I should get a radon detector, too.

    Thanks!
    lgiesting17(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  124. Thank you for the give-away! I have an old old home (1881) and constantly worry about fire, CO and radon--among the other things I worry about. We have installed new smoke detectors, we had a our gas furnace serviced AND had the gas company come pressure test all the lines. So far so good! I really need to get a radon detector.

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  125. Great reminders, thank you!

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  126. I would love to win one of those detectors. But if I don't, I'll go out and buy one. :) Thank you for helping keep us safe, Sarah!
    KristinLSchmidt/yahoo

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  127. Thank you for the safety reminders. We moved in to our house 2 years ago and never thought about carbon monoxide detectors until you mentioned them. We don't have ANY in our house. I even replaced all the smoke detectors this past year and didn't even think about carbon monoxide. Guess I'll add those to my Thanksgiving shopping list.

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  128. Such a good reminder....I keep forgetting ours broke 8 years ago...whoops

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  129. I've been thinking that we need a carbon monoxide detector and there is even a law in California that you are supposed to have them, but I have only seen the plug in ones and we don't have a plug that works for one. If I don't win, I will be looking for the battery operated one.

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  130. This is an excellent reminder of things that are too easily forgotten. Plus it reminded me that I need to get on the band wagon and get an extinguisher for our kitchen and carbon monoxide detectors as we have neither of either of those. Thanks again for the reminder!

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  131. I definitely could use some of those for the new home we have an offer on. It was built in the 1830's and needs a lot of updates. Thanks!
    sarabasla at hotmail dot com

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  132. Thank you for the giveaway! We should definitely add another detector in the basement!

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  133. It is so important to take these precautions.

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  134. We have never had a carbon monoxide detector either!

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  135. I'm a worrywart and can't believe I don't have one of these. I grew up in an all electric home, so I guess I've never really thought about this danger in our new home. Thanks for the heads up and I'd love to win. But if not, I'll still be getting a couple of these soon!

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  136. I would love one since I can't see convincing my husband to buy one right now. :)

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  137. Wow! Thanks for the important safety reminder! My heart goes out to those affected by the Indy explosion too. So, so tragic and heartbreaking. This post reminded me that we don't even have a fire extinguisher! Waaaayyyy to living on the edge. I'm going to talk to my husband about this, as soon as he wakes up from his Sunday afternoon nap. Thanks for the great giveaway.

    mari(dot)barnhart(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  138. I just went out and purchased three new fire detectors but didn't get a carbon monoxide detector. I don't know why I didn't. I think I was just so confused on which one to get and I wanted to do a bit of research. Thank you for this give away. If I dont win, I will be out buying one this week.

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  139. My carbon monoxide detector just did the same thing with the beeping. The display wasn't reading so I thought the house was full of carbon monoxide. Come to find out it expired so I am in need of one! :o)
    kmg_14 (at) hotmail (dot) com

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  140. Seeing as we don't have any, I figured I'd better enter this one!

    crystalclayson@yahoo.com

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  141. What a great reminder and fantastic idea for a give away!

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  142. Great reminders, thank you! And, we only have smoke detectors, not carbon monoxide ones, so I'd love to win!

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  143. Great reminder of an important thing to have in your home. Thanks for the giveaway.

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  144. It's required for rentals in our state (OR) and when this became law, I thought to myself "I need to get one of those!" Still haven't. Thanks for the reminder (again).
    -michwjoe at hotmail dot com

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  145. Wow, have you read my mind! I recently removed our "new" CM detector, because, just like the old one, it just kept beeping....in the middle of the night..right outside my bedroom...it drove me nuts, so I decided to unplug it all together, and have yet to pick a replacement for it. I also worry about these things, so thank you for the chance.

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  146. Oddly enough i was just going through our junk drawer, I mean filing cabinet, and saw that it was time to replace our detectors. Winning one would sure help!

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  147. Thank you soooo much for reminding me about how important these safety measures are.

    Diana

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  148. Thanks for the tips on safety these tips are need to be followed so many of us dont follow these minor steps and which lead to some thing fishy

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  149. The timing for this is great! We moved about a year ago, and after reading about the explosion in the news, I realized we don't even have a CO detector in this house! Have been reading reviews and deciding on brands. Thanks for the post!

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  150. I'm in the Indy area as well and the southside tragedy is just heartbreaking. Could definitely use one of these, thanks for the chance. - Niki

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  151. Thanks for the giveaway - this is a great reminder before the unthinkable happens!

    smboyd99 at yahoo dot com

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  152. I hadn't heard what the cause of the Indianapolis explosion was. Thanks for the update. You can never be too safe. andrea-alternative (at) freenet (dot) de

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  153. You know whats funny,,,, mune just started beeping 2 days ago. so i went to the store and got new batteries..... that did not do the trick, so i was going to go out tommorrow and get a whole new unit. hmmmm maybe i wont have to. thanks for the chance.
    mary
    ladefly@aol dot com

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  154. I have a new baby at home and could really use one! I am already so paranoid about all the dangers in my home, this would be one to check off the list!
    mariajadamsatgmaildotcom

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  155. Those things give me peace of mind. I never know how long they last, just buy them and install them and forget about them. I would be nice to have a new one so I would feel safer. Thanks for the giveaway.

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  156. Thanks for the important reminder. I need to change my smoke alarm batteries and I need to purchase radon detectors.

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  157. Is it too late to enter? We don't have one on every floor. Should probably do that - along with a battery back up for a sump pump. ChaChing$$$

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  158. I hope I'm not to late to the party!
    deena dot clarke at gmail dot com

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  159. Fire extinguishers should be taken to a local fire extinguisher store and "Re-charged" on a yearly basis. Most stores will do this free of charge. The will charge it then place a tag on it indicating the date.

    You don;t need to throw them out when they are "empty". That is wasteful and expensive.

    I am a former firfighter and this is what I do at home ot keep my family safe.

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  160. With a toddler and a baby on the way, I definitely need to be more conscious of things like this! I'm putting carbon monoxide detectors on my to-do list!!!

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  161. Great reminders! Thanks for the giveaway!

    Amy
    mypatzer(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  162. OMG, I totally don't have one. Not good. Thanks for the reminder and the giveaway!
    Amber

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  163. Thank you for the reminder and the giveaway... a friend of a friend just suffered carbon monoxide poisoning, so this topic has been on my mind this week! Would love to have some extra protection for my family.

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  164. Such excellent advise! As a former 911 dispatcher, thank you for helping educate and remind everyone safety first!

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  165. A good friend of mine lives a few streets over from the explosion and her attic door still blew off from the blast. It's funny because ever since then I've been thinking we need to get a carbon monoxide detector too since we don't have one anymore since we moved. Thank you for the reminder!

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  166. Our rental location provided one in our house but it looks so old!! I'm paranoid so I'm definitely in need of another. Thanks for the reminder :) kmsherman86(at) gmail(dot) com.

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