This may have been discussed, but I’m wondering if any sitter travels with their own portable, plug in carbon monoxide detector. Even if a home has one, you may not know if the batteries are up to date, where it’s located, what it sounds like, etc. I may now start traveling with one because…I just returned last night from a very lovely sit and the homeowner just now texted me that the chimney in the building (3 story townhouse turned into a 3 apartment dwelling) collapsed and CO2 backed up into their portion of the building. They had just installed a carbon monoxide detector the week before so the owners and dog were able to get out unharmed, thank goodness. I feel very bad for the homeowners, but I’m so glad it didn’t happen 12 hours earlier when I would have been there, not knowing what to do or where to go. Just wondering if anyone has any experience with this, or a recommendation of a type of carbon monoxide detector to buy.
Hi @sledgejoyce. I know a fair number of travelers, not just sitters, who take a carbon monoxide detector with them when they travel.
No I don’t but what a lucky escape you had!
I’ve been traveling with one that is battery operated for the past few years. I started taking one when I was staying at a lot of Airbnbs and some did not have carbon monoxide detectors. Now I just always take it with me.
Gosh @sledgejoyce … what a thing to have happened! So pleased the owner and dog were safe and fine. I have never thought about this, and it certainly gives me food for thought.
Thanks for sharing. Something I can add to my travel safe kit.
We do now as we recently had a sit in a home that was only about 7 years old and had a carbon monixide buildup. Fortunately they had a monitored alarm system. My wife was home alone with the pets and was asleep / passed out from the CO2 and did not hear the alarm. Her phone rang with a call from the owners who were out of the country and the alarm company called the fire department and the owners. She got out safely, the fire department came, and she recovered. First time that’s happened and we definitely carry a detector with us now!
What brand do you have? Do you leave it plugged in at the home? Can you turn it off and on so you are not deafened by the alarm when it is not in use?
Got ours on Amazon. Battery powered so you can take them out when you want.
Kidde Carbon Monoxide Detector, Battery Powered with LED Lights, CO Alarm
Mine is a Kidde battery operated too. I always travel with it.
Wow.
Just when you thought you’ve read it all on the forum.
Just curious…you say you would have not known where to go.
In my HO book, we have 4 local emergency backup people that you could have called and stayed with.
Were there no local emergency contacts left by the HO?
(Or we would have put you up in a pet-friendly hotel, while we immediately made plans to return! Yikes!)
We have extra batteries at the ready for any detectors that may go off but being newer they are hardwired with battery back up.
Totally appreciate your story…just my mind goes into “learning/handling” mode.