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What’s the visual difference between smoke and carbon monoxide detectors?

I can’t tell if the alarms in my apartment are smoke detectors or carbon monoxide detectors. What’s the visual difference between smoke and carbon monoxide detectors?

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Melanie Mergen · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Both carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are essential to keeping you safe, so it’s great you’re checking what you have. The visual differences between a smoke detector and a carbon monoxide detector depend on the brand and model.
To know what you’re looking at for sure, look for a brand and model number, which you should be able to find on the back of the detector. You should also find a manufacture date, which shouldn’t be more than 10 years old.
If the detector’s a plug-in device in an outlet, it’s likely a carbon monoxide detector, and the device should be marked as such. Usually, a carbon monoxide detector will also be labeled on the front near the test button. Other circular units that attach to your wall or ceiling can look nearly identical, so you may have to do some additional searching.
Some detectors are two-in-one and detect both smoke and carbon monoxide, but it’s hard to tell if it doesn’t have any labeling on the front, so checking the manufacturing details on the back is your best bet. Dual-purpose detectors often have separate indicator lights for carbon monoxide and smoke detection.
Your carbon monoxide detector is designed to keep you and your household safe. Another way to keep yourself safe is a renters insurance policy. With
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MORE: How to find the best renters insurance
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