Every year, more than 35,000 deaths are caused by CO inhalation – renowned institute VdS now protects homes as well as manufacturers with a special certification for carbon monoxide detectors.
Carbon monoxide: invisible, odourless, even diffusing through concrete walls – and highly toxic, because when inhaled it blocks the absorption of oxygen. Experts estimate that there are more than 35,000 CO-related deaths annually worldwide. This is why the demand for alarm devices for private homes is increasing. In order to provide both users and manufacturers with the guarantee that the palm-sized and easy-to-install devices really do save lives reliably in an emergency, VdS now offers a specific Approval. The Siemens product 5TC1260-4 has just received the first certification worldwide.
Christoph Haupt, expert at the VdS laboratories for detectors in private homes, explains: "People don't even notice when they inhale CO. There are no physical warning signs whatsoever, such as coughing or shortness of breath. That's why we're now using our decades of experience in certifying home smoke detectors, which also warn of imminent mortal danger with an 85-decibel alarm signal, to also test reliable CO detection. We congratulate the Siemens team on the first Approval in this new VdS segment. The highest level of safety of their life-saving product has been clearly confirmed in comprehensive tests."
The VdS-Approval is based on the standards of the EN 50291 series. A technical distinctive feature is that the alarm is triggered not only depending on the gas concentration, but also on its specific duration.