Proper CO Detector placement

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colorless and odorless gas produced by the combustion of fossil fuels, natural gas, propane, gasoline etc. This gas (CO) is naturally produced by common household appliances such as furnaces, gas water heaters, gas ovens/stoves, and even gas clothes dryers. When appliances are working properly and are properly vented, CO does not typically pose any issues. However, if the gas enters the living space and accumulates, it can be extremely dangerous, even deadly. Here are some of the most important knowledge points about Carbon Monoxide.

• It is colorless and odorless - Without a CO detector, there is NO WAY to identify the presence of the gas before it begins affecting you.
• It is heavier than air - This means the gas remains low in a room unlike smoke, which rises.
• It is produced by the combustion of fossil fuels - If you have an appliance that produces a flame, it will produce carbon monoxide.

If there is a build up of CO in your home, you will start feeling dizzy and disoriented as it begins to starve your brain of oxygen. For a moment or two this is not life threatening; however, prolonged exposure can cause permanent damage. More importantly, the gas becomes more deadly if you are asleep. The reason it is so much more dangerous when asleep is that the effects will not cause the person to wake up. Eventually the oxygen level will become low enough to cause suffocation and death.

As building practices and technology improved, we have seen a dramatic increase in the overall sealing and insulation in homes. This is great for keeping homes efficient and sealed off from insects and weather. But, it also means that if there are harmful gasses inside the home, they will likely accumulate faster, with less opportunity for escape.

All of these factors make having and PROPERLY installing carbon monoxide detector(s) in your home extremely important for the safety of your family. Please read the following points to make sure you have not only the right number of detectors installed in your home, but also that they are correctly installed and functioning.

PLACEMENT - The NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) recommends the detector should be centrally located outside each sleeping area, AT A MINIMUM.

• Outside Sleeping Areas
• In a hallway with multiple bedrooms off of it
• Try to place the detector between any potential source of CO and the sleeping areas
• Within 10ft of the entrance to an attached garage
• About 20ft of any appliance that could produce CO:
• Furnace
• Water Heater
• Stove
• Fireplace
• Basements
• As the gas is heavier than air, it can easily accumulate in a basement
• Placing a detector near the top of the basement stairs is a good location
• Multi-Level homes
• Best practices dictate that a detector should be placed on every level of the home

MAINTENANCE - This is often the most neglected area of safety devices. Once we install a CO detector, smoke detector or buy a fire extinguisher, we tend to relax and feel more protected now that we have the added safety. This is when it is important to NOT become complacent. These devices NEED maintenance to do their jobs and protect us!  Make sure you follow these regular tasks to keep you and your family safe.

• Perform the weekly test by pushing the test button. Make sure that the device sounds its alarm properly.
• Replace the battery as needed. While most CO detectors plug into an outlet, they also contain battery backups. Check the device manual for instruction as to how and when to replace the battery. It is a good idea to change the batteries in all your detectors on a regular annual schedule, to ensure they are always working and ready.
• Clean the unit. simply vacuum off the unit about once a month to remove any dust. DO NOT use harsh chemicals as they can destroy the sensors.

CAUTIONS - Avoid these common mistakes when installing CO detectors.

• Mount the detector about knee level.
• As the gas is heavier than air it will build from the floor up. If you mount the detector on the ceiling, it may not detect an unsafe level that exists at the height we are breathing.
• This is especially important when placing outside sleeping areas because when we lay down the level of  CO could potentially be much higher.
• Avoid placing near windows or drafts.
• Too much air movement could artificially lower the actual level being read.
• Do not place behind drapes or doors.
• While too much air movement could be negative, not allowing access to the ambient air in the room could also cause the detector to not work properly.
• Avoid Direct Sunlight.
• This can cause the CO detector to overheat and destroy the sensor.
• Avoid overly damp and humid locations such as bathrooms.
• Try not to place immediately next to an appliance that produces CO.
• Although sometimes unavoidable, this situation could lead to false alarms from the detector.
• Do not use an outlet where it could be turned off by young children or knocked out of the plug

Below are some graphics showing proper placement of CO detectors in different style homes.