Final answer:
Landlords should test carbon monoxide alarms regularly, including monthly checks and yearly battery replacements. Carbon monoxide is particularly dangerous due to its colorless, odorless nature, and can cause serious health issues. Detectors are crucial for safety and should be accompanied by proper ventilation and maintenance of household appliances.
Step-by-step explanation:
Landlords are responsible for ensuring the safety of their tenants by maintaining operational carbon monoxide alarms. A landlord must test the carbon monoxide alarm regularly to ensure it is functioning correctly. This typically includes testing the alarm monthly and replacing the batteries at least once a year or as needed. To prevent carbon monoxide exposure, it's crucial to ensure that vents and chimneys are working properly and never to burn charcoal indoors. Additionally, placing carbon monoxide detectors in key areas of the home is necessary.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is especially dangerous because it is a colorless, odorless gas that can cause serious health issues such as headaches, dizziness, nausea, and even death. High levels of this gas can accumulate indoors due to malfunctioning fuel-burning appliances or inadequate ventilation. This makes it more important to have a detector for CO than for other household gases, which may have distinct odors or are less immediately harmful at low concentrations. Everyday items such as gas stoves, heaters, and engines produce CO, and without proper detection, inhabitants may be unaware of its presence.
It's also important to ventilate when using products or appliances that can release pollutants, follow manufacturers' instructions, and conduct regular tests for gases like radon. The only way to detect certain gases, like radon, is through testing, as recommended by the EPA. Therefore, CO detectors should be seen as an essential part of maintaining a safe indoor environment.