Source: Capt. Dave Zaniboni for Santa Barbara County Fire Department

Is your CO alarm chirping? It may be time to install new carbon monoxide alarm in your home.

They come in all shapes and sizes, but serve one important role — keeping you and your family safe.

Recently, the Santa Barbara County Fire Department and other fire agencies have seen an uptick in calls for CO alarms going off in homes.

It may be time for a new battery or alarm.

In July 2011, California Senate Bill 183 went into effect. Known as the Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act, the law requires California residents to install CO alarms in their homes.

Because the sensors in CO alarms have a limited lifespan, alarms purchased across California in 2011 may start sounding an end-of-life warning beep at some point this year. If your CO detector falls into this category, it is time to replace it.

CO is a colorless, odorless, tasteless poisonous gas that can be fatal when inhaled.

Mild exposure can cause a slight headache, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and flu-like symptoms. Extreme exposure can cause convulsions, unconsciousness, brain damage, and heart and lung failure, followed by death.

If your CO alarm goes off, get to fresh air and call 911. If you are unable to leave your home, open the doors and windows, and turn off all possible sources of CO while you are waiting for assistance to arrive. Under no circumstance should an alarm be ignored.

For more information about carbon monoxide, visit BeatTheBeep.com.

— Capt. Dave Zaniboni for Santa Barbara County Fire Department.