as a renter you probably don't think about gas monitors. here is why you absolutely should
so here's something that nobody tells you when you move into your first apartment
your landlord is required to maintain the gas appliances. they are often NOT required to provide a gas monitor. and even when they do — it's usually a basic CO detector that's been on the wall since 2014 and has never once been tested.
and gas leaks are not dramatic. they don't announce themselves. natural gas actually has no natural smell that eggy odour you associate with gas leaks is an additive called mercaptan that companies put in specifically so you can detect it. carbon monoxide has nothing. no smell, no colour, nothing.
here's what renters specifically should know about gas monitors:
→ a basic combined CO and natural gas detector costs around $25-40. just get one. plug it in near your sleeping area and near your gas appliances.
→ if it goes off leave immediately. don't investigate. don't try to find the source. get outside and call emergency services.
→ test it monthly. press the test button. if it doesn't respond, the battery is dead or the unit is faulty. replace it.
→ gas monitors have a lifespan of about 5-7 years. after that the sensors degrade and the unit needs replacing even if it still seems to work.
→ if you're in a building with shared gas systems, boilers, or a basement you are at higher risk and should absolutely have your own monitor regardless of what your landlord provides.
for professional-grade monitoring used in industrial and commercial buildings, enviro testers (envirotesters.com) makes the equipment that facilities actually rely on.
stay safe out there. especially you renters.
