(BPT) – By Ron Lazarus, COO of New Cosmos USA, Inc.
Keeping your home and family safe is a priority for everyone. While we can’t control every potentially dangerous scenario in our lives, one way we have been able to take action to prevent serious injury or death in recent years is through the installation of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. It may be hard to believe, but only a couple of decades ago, most homes across the country were not equipped with these critical safety devices.
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms have been proven to save lives, but unfortunately the majority of homes are missing a crucial safety alarm — natural gas alarms.
Appliances including the kitchen stove, clothes dryer, water heater, furnace, fireplaces and more may utilize natural gas. Aging infrastructure and improperly installed gas appliances are an increasing source for natural gas leaks, and gas explosions have steadily continued to rise in recent years, with a major leak reported nearly every single day in the United States.
Even though natural gas contains an additive to aid in leak detection through smell, some cannot smell the additive, and the ongoing pandemic has compromised the sense of smell for many individuals. Additionally, if residents aren’t home, and their homes aren’t equipped with a natural gas alarm, gas can build up without the homeowners being aware of the danger. This is why it is so critical for residents to install a natural gas alarm in every room there is a gas appliance.
With gas leaks and explosions on the rise, state legislatures have started to take notice. A few months ago, I testified in front of the Tennessee House of Representatives to make the case for the importance of natural gas alarms. Legislation mandating natural gas alarms has already gone into effect in Maine, and similar legislation is currently being considered in multiple states. Along with the National Fire Protection Association’s new standard (NFPA715) that recommends the installation of natural gas alarms in any room with a natural gas-burning appliance, now is the time for residents to ensure they’re prepared and equipped.
In 1964 New Cosmos Electric introduced the first gas alarm in the world. New Cosmos has continued to develop new proprietary gas alarm technology that offers the best protection with a minimum 6-year battery life and resistance to false alarms that could be caused by household cleaners and other products found around the home. These gas alarms also offer ideal placement to detect gas, within 12” from the ceiling, where natural gas rises since it is lighter than air. New Cosmos is proud that we’ve been able to develop an alarm that keeps families and first responders aware and protected.
New Cosmos Electric has protected communities in Japan since 1960, and the success New Cosmos Electric has had reducing deaths caused by gas explosions caught the attention of Con Edison (a New York gas utility). Upon reviewing the data, Con Edison chose to provide New Cosmos gas alarms to their customers.
This prompted New Cosmos to expand operations and offer the same safety to residents in the United States and around the world. Our company’s natural gas alarms are now marketed in North America under the DeNova Detect brand, and our alarms are held to the same rigorous standards that have virtually eliminated deaths from natural gas explosions in Japan.
It’s our team’s hope that residents are made aware of the potential dangers of natural gas and that there is a solution available to protect them. Natural gas alarms are important devices that prevent catastrophe, and you can learn more about natural gas safety by visiting DeNovaDetect.com.