Costar 9SIR User Manual
Instruction Manual: COSTAR® 9SIR, Residential CO Alarm
Carbon Monoxide Alarm
Model 9SIR
OWNER’S MANUAL
PLEASE READ AND SAVE!
Residential Use
Dear New COSTAR
Congratulations as you have taken steps to help insure the health and life safety of you and your family. We are
proud to offer you our unique, patented CO Sensor technology that detects CO in a manner similar to the human body's
response. The COSTAR
poisoning.
Please read this owner's manual carefully so you will have a better understanding of the effects of CO poisoning
and the COSTAR
To your good health and safety,
®
9SIR Owner,
®
9SIR is an ideal and low-cost way of warning you of both the acute and chronic effects of CO
®
9SIR Alarm, as we work together pursuing a safer, healthier indoor air quality for us all.
Mark Goldstein, Ph.D.
President
Quantum Group Inc.
1.0 WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CO
Carbon monoxide (CO) is an insidious poison. It is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas. It is a cumulative poison. Even
low levels of CO have been shown to cause brain and other vital organ damage in unborn infants with no effect on the
mother.
The following symptoms are related to CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING and should be discussed with ALL members
of the household:
MILD EXPOSURE
Slight headache, nausea, vomiting, fatigue (often described as "flu–like" symptoms)
MEDIUM EXPOSURE
Severe throbbing headache, drowsiness, confusion, fast heart rate
EXTREME EXPOSURE
Unconsciousness, convulsions, cardiorespiratory failure, death
Many cases of reported CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING indicate that while victims are aware they are not well, they
become so disoriented they are unable to save themselves by either exiting the building or calling for assistance. Also,
young children and household pets may be the first affected.
Your CO alarm is designed to detect the toxic CO fumes that result from incomplete combustion, such as those emitted
from appliances, furnaces, fireplaces and auto exhaust.
A CO Alarm is NOT A SUBSTITUTE for other combustible gas, fire or smoke alarms. This carbon monoxide alarm is
designed to detect carbon monoxide gas from ANY source of combustion.
CAUTION: This alarm will only indicate the presence of carbon monoxide gas at the sensor. Carbon monoxide gas may
be present in other areas.
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Instruction Manual: COSTAR® 9SIR, Residential CO Alarm
WARNING: This product is intended for use in ordinary indoor locations of family living units. It is not designed to
measure compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) commercial or industrial standards.
Individuals with medical problems may consider using warning devices which provide audible and visual signals for carbon
monoxide concentrations under 30 ppm.
2.0 WHAT YOU SHOULD DO IF THE ALARM SOUNDS
WARNING:
Activation of this device indicates the presence of carbon monoxide (CO), which can kill you.
If alarm sounds:
2.1 Operate reset/silence button;
2.2 Call your emergency services (____ - ______) [fire department or 911];
2.3 Immediately move to fresh air – outdoors or by an open door/window. Then, do a
head count to check that all persons are accounted for. Do not reenter the premises nor
move away from the open door/window until the emergency services responders have
arrived, the premises have been aired out, and your alarm remains in its normal condition.
2.4 After following steps 2.1-2.3, if your alarm reactivates within a 24-hour period, repeat
steps 2.1-2.3 and call a qualified technician (____ - ______) to investigate for sources of
CO from fuel burning equipment and appliances, and inspect for proper operation of this
equipment. If problems are identified during this inspection, have the equipment serviced
immediately. Note any combustion equipment not inspected by the technician and consult
the manufacturers' instructions or contact the manufacturers directly for more information
about CO safety and this equipment. Make sure that motor vehicles are not and have not
been operating in an attached garage or adjacent to the residence.
2.5 IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS
The 9SIR has been designed and is warranted to operate for six years.
2.6 Never disconnect the battery to silence an alarm. The alarm will automatically sense when the level of CO in the
air falls below the danger level. You should stay outside the residence in fresh air until the alarm is silenced. When the
alarm sounds, do not stand too close to the alarm. The sound produced by the alarm is loud because it is designed to
awaken a person in an emergency. Prolonged exposure to the alarm at a close distance may be harmful to your hearing.
NOTE: Manufacturer strongly recommends replacement of alarm six years after date of purchase. Under no
circumstances should the alarm be used (7) years after the date of purchase.
3.0 DEVELOPING YOUR OWN CO SAFETY PLAN
This CO alarm can quickly alert you to the presence of CO — it cannot prevent toxic CO emissions. Please note that there
are hazards against which CO detection may not be effective, such as gas leaks or explosions. The ultimate responsibility
for protection against toxic CO fumes rests solely on you.
Installing CO detectors is just the first step in protecting your family from toxic CO poisoning. We also suggest that you
create an effective, comprehensive safety program as outlined below.
3.1 Install CO detectors properly following the instructions in this manual.
3.2 Develop a family escape plan and practice it with your entire family, especially small children.
– Draw a floor plan of your home and find two ways to exit from each room. There should be one way to get out
of each bedroom without opening the door.
– Make sure that all occupants know what the CO alarm signal means and how they must exit the residence by
themselves if necessary.
– Decide on a meeting place a safe distance from your house and make sure all occupants understand where they
should go and wait if there is a dangerous CO condition.
– Conduct CO safety drills at least every 6 months to make sure that everyone, even small children, know what to
do in order to escape safely.
– Know where to go to call the Fire Department from outside your residence.
NOTE: This unit is designed to detect carbon monoxide (CO) entering its sensing chamber. It does not sense combustible
gas (such as natural gas, propane or butane), heat, smoke or flames.
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Instruction Manual: COSTAR® 9SIR, Residential CO Alarm
3.3 This CO alarm is designed for use within a single residential living unit only. In a multi-family building, the alarm
may not provide early warning for residents if it is placed outside of the residential units, such as on outside porches, in
corridors, lobbies, basements, or in other apartments. In multi-family buildings, each residential unit should have detectors
installed as previously indicated.
3.4 When properly located, installed, and maintained, this CO alarm is designed to provide early warning of
developing poisonous CO conditions at a reasonable cost. This alarm monitors the air, and when it senses CO, it activates
its built-in alarm. It can provide precious time for you and your family to escape from your residence before CO can
seriously injure or kill. However, such an early warning is possible only if the alarm is located, installed, and maintained as
specified in the Owner's Manual.
4.0 IMPORTANT: WHAT YOUR CO ALARM CAN AND CANNOT DO
If bedroom doors are usually closed at night, alarms should be placed in each bedroom as well as in the common hallway
between them. CO alarms may not sense CO on a different level of a residence or building. For example, a second floor
alarm may not sense a CO leak on the first floor or in the basement.
Therefore, alarms should be placed on every level of a residence or building. If the alarm is located outside of a bedroom,
it may not wake up a sound sleeper, especially if the bedroom door is closed or only partly open. If the alarm is located on a
different level of the residence than the bedrooms, it is even less likely to wake up people sleeping in the bedroom.
Installing CO alarms may qualify you for lower homeowner's insurance rates, but CO alarms are not a substitute for
insurance. Homeowners and renters should continue to insure their lives and property.
! WARNING: The COSTAR
5.0 INSTALLING THE COSTAR
®
Model 9SIR CO Alarm is not designed for marine or RV use.
®
9SIR FOR RESIDENTIAL USE
5.1 RECOMMENDATIONS
One of the most important considerations in any CO alarm system is the location of the alarms. Statistics of the
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) show that most of the fatal CO occurrences happen at night while people are
sleeping. Early warning of CO is best achieved by the correct installation of CO alarms. Placement of an alarm in a garage
may cause an alarm due to CO from automotive exhaust.
5.2 RECOMMENDED MOUNTING LOCATIONS
Put a CO alarm inside each bedroom where the occupant closes the door while sleeping. A closed door can block
particulate smoke, but CO gas is likely to get through.
Figure 1: Recommended CO alarm placement for single
floor residence.
Figure 2: Recommended CO alarm placement for multilevel residence.
5.3 This CO alarm must be mounted on the wall or ceiling.
5.4 WALL LOCATION: Locate the top of the alarm at least 3 feet (usually 5 to 6) feet from the floor.
Figure 3: Recommended CO alarm mounting location is 5 to 6 feet from floor.
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