The quality of your indoor air is very important for the health and safety of your family. If your carbon monoxide detector is more than 5 years old, it's time to replace it. But if not, here's what you need to know about how your detector works and how to test to be sure that it's working at all.

High concentrations of carbon monoxide can cause dizziness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, and even death. And while anyone can suffer CO poisoning, especially while sleeping at night, the Centers for Disease Control says that elderly people, infants, people with chronic heart disease and those with pre-existing breathing problems are the most at risk.

An electrician can install hard-wired CO detectors, which are safer than those with only a battery.