Might want to have that looked at

So last night around 11:26pm our carbon monoxide/smoke alarm went off.  Mind you, I had already been asleep for about 2 hours.  And I didn't really want to vacate the premises.  So I turned it off, put new batteries in and tested it.  It went off again.  So I turned it off, pulled the batteries, put them back in, and went outside.  It still went off.  Even though me and the device were outside.   Hmmmm.  Interesting.  Kids were fine.  Really didn't want to leave under these uncertainty.  But it's carbon monoxide.  I'm ignorant on the topic.  But I don't want to take chances.  So I called 911 and explained the situation.  The dispatcher asked if I'd like to have someone come check the house.  

Me - "Yes.  I think?  It sounds like I have a faulty device though." 

Dispatch - "Sir, it's entirely up to you."

Me - "I have no idea.  We don't have gas service, our heat isn't on.  But our carbon monoxide detector is going off."

Dispatch - "What would you like us to do?"

Me - "That's why I called you."

Dispatch - "The safest thing to do would be to send someone to the house and check it out."

Me -  "Then let's do that." 

I'm not sure what the standard operating procedure is there. But the exchange was awkward.  Regardless, we vacated.  My wife took our kids on a car ride.  They sent a truck with two very pleasant firemen to check the house.  The didn't find a thing.   We were all back in bed within 45 minutes.  I got a lesson from the one fireman in how to decipher the beeps on my detector device.  3 beeps is Carbon Monoxide, 4 beeps is for smoke.  I just woke up, it was loud.  I wasn't counting beeps.  But I didn't smell smoke.  

DID I NOT JUST SAY I WANTED ADVENTURE?  This isn't what I had in mind.  But it is scary.  Carbon Monoxide is colorless and odorless and it will kill you without warning.  Unless you have a detector.  I'm glad we played it safe with the kids and my wife. 

Even though this was a false alarm, I would encourage everyone to get a Carbon Monoxide detector.  It's worth the cost.  I about flipped seeing the prices they charge for those things.  Knowing that it probably costs about the same as a smoke detector.  But because of the gas being colorless and odorless, it's going to cost you about 50 more dollars.  Sorry, that's how my mind works.  But I know we've all spent at least that much on stupider stuff.  This will at least save your life.  

That was my adventure yesterday.  Oh.  I set a course record for the Trail 5k I ran too.