CPSC Warns Consumers to Immediately Stop Using Tiergrade Digital Combination Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors Due to Failure to Alert Consumers to Deadly Carbon Monoxide and Smoke; Sold on Walmart.com

WASHINGTON, Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers about the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and smoke inhalation associated with the use of Tiergrade combination smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors. The detectors can fail to alert consumers to the presence of hazardous carbon monoxide and smoke.

Consumers will not be properly warned of carbon monoxide or fire dangers if their combination smoke and CO detector is defective and fails to properly alert, increasing the risk of severe injury or death. More than 200 people in the United States die every year from accidental, non-fire related CO poisoning associated with consumer product emissions. In addition, most fatalities in residential fires are due to smoke inhalation, rather than heat and flames, and consumers may have as little as three minutes to escape a fire.

The Tiergrade detectors are defective because they fail to alert when exposed to pre-determined concentrations of carbon monoxide (400 ppm), in violation of UL 2034, a voluntary safety standard. The Tiergrade detectors are also defective because they fail to alert when exposed to pre-determined concentrations of smoke, in violation of UL 217, another voluntary safety standard.

The combination detectors are made of white plastic, and measure about 4 x 1.5 x 4 inches, featuring a digital display. The front of the detector has a button with the word "test" printed on it, as well as green and red indicator lights with the word "power" printed next to the green light and "alarm" printed next to the red light. The combination detectors are advertised to detect dangerous levels of carbon monoxide and smoke and alert with a flashing red LED and a loud alarm. The Tiergrade detectors were sold on Walmart.com from June 2022 through September 2024 for between $8 and $19. 

CPSC urges consumers not to purchase or sell these combination smoke and CO detectors. Stop using and dispose of these products immediately, and install new, working smoke and CO detectors. Report a dangerous product or a product-related injury on www.SaferProducts.gov.

Note: Consumers should install combination smoke and CO detectors on each level of their home and outside separate sleeping areas. Combination smoke and CO detectors should be battery operated or have battery backup. Test combination smoke and CO detectors frequently and replace batteries as needed. Consumers should only buy combination smoke and CO detectors that meet both the UL 2034 and UL 217 safety standards.

Individual Commissioners may have statements related to this topic. Please visit www.cpsc.gov/commissioners to search for statements related to this or other topics.

About the U.S. CPSC
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risk of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product-related incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products has contributed to a decline in the rate of injuries associated with consumer products over the past 50 years.

Federal law prohibits any person from selling products subject to a Commission ordered recall or a voluntary recall undertaken in consultation with the CPSC.

For lifesaving information:
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Release Number: 25-050

SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission