Kidde KN-COPD-3-UK manual What To Do When The Alarm Sounds, 2520-7203-00.qxd2006.4.7 3 50 PM Page

2520-7203-00.qxd 2006.4.7 3:50 PM Page 20

What To Do When The Alarm Sounds

Call a Qualified Technician to Find and Repair the Problem

Call a qualified service technician (such as a licensed heating contractor, utility service technician or fuel provider) to inspect your home for possible sources of CO leak. Do not restart these appliances until the problem is corrected. Request the inspection and service for as soon as possible if not immediate- ly.

Please be aware that some service technicians may charge a fee to inspect your home, even if the source of CO is not found. You may wish to find out if you will be charged for the service and the amount of the fee before you request service. Some public utilities do not charge for inspection. Some service tech- nicians do not charge if you purchased your appliance from them. To know for sure, you need to ask before the technician comes to your home. Repair work or replacement of appliances may be necessary to fix the problem that is creating the CO in your home. Remember, a CO Alarm can only warn you of the presence of CO, it does not prevent CO from occurring, nor can it solve an existing CO problem.

Because you’ve provided ventilation by leaving your windows and doors open, the CO build-up may have dissipated by the time help responds. Although your problem may appear to be temporarily solved, it’s crucial that the source of the problem is determined and appropriate repairs are made.

Sometimes it’s Difficult to Find the Source of CO in a Home

It can be difficult for responders to locate the source(s) of CO if:

–The house was ventilated before they arrived and the fresh air caused the CO to dissipate. The peak level function on your Kidde CO Alarm helps the responders know how severe the problem was before they arrived.

–The CO problem was caused by a source that fluctuates on and off, sometimes creating CO and sometimes not. Such a situation makes it nearly impossible to pinpoint the source of CO in a short period of time.

–The cause of CO problem was back drafting – when air in a chimney or flue is sucked into the home instead of venting outside. The exact situation that created a negative air pres- sure inside the home (the cause of back drafting) is difficult to recreate during an investigation for CO. Sometimes the CO problem disappears when a door or window is opened. Back drafting may or may not happen again.

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