Conventional smoke and gas detectors are inherently dumb devices. Their alarms might be loud, but if no one’s home to hear them, what good do they accomplish?
Dangerous gas leaks like carbon monoxide are invisible and undetectable to our senses and to ordinary devices like a smoke alarm. They’re also colorless and odorless, and can cause symptoms such as memory loss, shortness of breath, even death in the most extreme cases.
Most smart smoke, gas leak detectors are primarily designed to detect combustible gases or toxic gas and react by displaying a reading, setting off an audible or visual alarm and/or sending an alert to your smartphone - if danger is detected.
They work in different ways, depending on the gas they are targeted toward, and the device should be used exactly as the manufacturer describes.
The manufacturers are very specific about which gas or gases their detector will sense. Below, are some of the common gases you'll have to pay attention.
- Combustible Gases. Natural gas mostly comprising methane and propane have an additive called mercaptan that smells like rotten eggs.
- Toxic Gases like Carbon Monoxide. Exposure to high levels of colorless odorless carbon monoxide (CO) from a leaking appliance or a vehicle running in an attached garage is harmful, and can be fatal.
- Radon. While a concentration in your basement or crawl space may not cause your home to explode the way propane or natural gas can, it’s radioactive and is the second leading cause of lung cancer.