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WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) – The Rhode Island State Fire Marshal’s Office is sounding the alarm about carbon monoxide detectors sold online, saying purchasers might be putting themselves and their loved ones at risk.
“The ones you buy online are probably not compliant with the code for this country, and the State of Rhode Island,” State Fire Marshal Timothy McLaughlin told 12 News.
He says it’s easy to ensure the detectors in your home are up to standard: “If you look on the back, it should have a ‘UL’ sticker,” McLaughlin said. “That means it’s been tested. We know it works.”
UL stands for Underwriters Laboratories, a Chicago-based company that tests detectors before sending them out to be purchased.
When UL confirms a detector is working properly, the company will mark the detector with a UL stamp.
In contrast, McLaughlin said, there is no way of knowing whether carbon monoxide detectors bought online meet the proper standards to be put in someone’s home.
“We don’t know if they work, we don’t know where they come from. You buy them from China or wherever they come from, we have no idea if they’ve been tested,” the fire marshal said. “Once it’s stamped by UL, we’re very comfortable that it’s going to work, and it’s going to work the way it’s supposed to.”
With the potential fatal threat carbon monoxide poses, ensuring your detectors are up to code can truly be the difference between life and death.
“[It’s] odorless, you can’t taste it, you can’t see it, you can’t smell it. By the time you realize that there is CO in your house, it’s probably going to be too late,” McLaughlin said.
McLaughlin told 12 News consumers can purchase UL-tested carbon monoxide detectors at any big box store, and recommended purchasing detectors with lithium batteries, which can last up to 10 years without having to be changed.
Fire marshal warns against buying CO detectors online | WPRI.com
