Most manufacturers say a sensor lasts between two and five years. In practice, however, both the environment sensors operate in and how they’re maintained can shorten their life significantly. The good news is that most performance issues are preventable with a little knowledge and the right strategy.
No matter what type of gas monitor you’re using, temperature and humidity are two of the most critical environmental variables. Electrochemical sensors, for example, rely on a liquid electrolyte that can evaporate over time. In hot, dry conditions, like those found in confined spaces during summer maintenance shutdowns, or even tropical, hot climates, this process accelerates. On the other end of the spectrum, cold temperatures can slow down a sensor’s response or cause false zero readings.
Humidity poses a different challenge. When moisture condenses inside a sensor, it can affect accuracy or even cause corrosion. Sudden shifts in temperature or exposure to humid environments, like coastal or marine applications, increase the risk of drift and failure.
Airborne dust, vapors from cleaning products, off-gassing batteries, and industrial chemicals can also impact sensors over time. These contaminants may not trigger immediate failure but can degrade performance slowly, especially for more sensitive technologies like photoionization detectors (PIDs) and catalytic sensors.
Sensors continue to age even when monitors are powered off. If a device is stored in uncontrolled environments, such as in a hot truck cab or on a dusty shelf, their future reliability is at risk.
Ideally, monitors should be stored in clean, dry, temperature-controlled spaces. Even if the device isn’t in use, it can be exposed to vaporized chemicals or environmental shifts that affect performance. Poor storage practices are one of the most overlooked causes of early sensor failure.
Even the most durable sensors won’t last long without well-trained users. A worker who understands how to handle the monitor, perform a bump test, or spot signs of drift is the first line of defense. On the other hand, inconsistent training or careless habits, such as cleaning a sensor with alcohol wipes or ignoring calibration alerts, can take months off a sensor’s usable life.
Some issues are subtle. If a device is dropped or exposed to water and the damage goes unreported, corrosion may quietly develop behind the scenes. Or if someone rushes a calibration and does it out of order, it can lead to baseline drift that affects accuracy in the field.
When frontline workers are engaged and understand why sensor care matters, they become proactive, not reactive, about maintenance and performance.
Sensor failure often starts gradually. One of the most common early signs is drift—a slow shift in the sensor’s baseline that causes it to display inaccurate readings. Sometimes the monitor will show a “zero” reading even in a known gas environment. Other times, calibrations start failing more frequently. These aren’t glitches; they’re signs of aging.
Occasionally, this interference is temporary. Other times, it causes irreversible damage. When a sensor becomes poisoned by prolonged or repeated exposure to interfering substances, replacement is the only option.
Understanding how your sensors behave under different conditions can help you troubleshoot problems quickly and avoid taking faulty readings at face value.
Bump testing and calibration are essential for verifying sensor function, especially as the devices age. A bump test ensures your sensor responds to gas at all. Calibration confirms whether it responds accurately. Skipping either is like driving blind on the highway.
Timing matters. Don’t wait for a calibration to fail in the field. If a sensor is nearing the end of its expected life or begins showing unstable behavior, it’s safer and more cost-effective to replace it before it becomes a safety risk.
Managing a large fleet of gas monitors can make it hard to stay ahead of sensor health. That’s where connected tools like iNet come in. iNet provides real-time visibility into calibration status, bump test compliance, and sensor life across your organization.
With iNet, see which devices are close to failure, identify trends in performance, and make data-backed decisions about replacements. It removes the guesswork and helps you avoid unexpected downtime, while improving safety across every jobsite. Talk to an expert today to learn more about iNet.
If a monitor is still in good condition, replacing the sensor is often a simple and cost-effective solution. Devices like the Ventis® Pro5 and Radius® BZ1 are designed for quick sensor changes in the field, so you don’t need to send units away for servicing.
Gas sensors may be small, but they play a massive role in protecting your team. Their lifespan depends on more than just manufacturer specs. Temperature, humidity, contamination, human behavior, and maintenance routines all make a difference. With the right knowledge and tools, you can extend sensor life and avoid unexpected failures.
If you're unsure how your sensors are performing, or want to build a proactive maintenance program, talk to an Industrial Scientific expert today. We’ll help you build a unique gas detection program to stay ahead of problems and keep your people safe.