While you can purchase a carbon monoxide detector as a standalone device or part of a full home security system it s important that you place them strategically in your home at least one carbon monoxide detector must be installed on each floor of your home including the basement.
Should carbon monoxide detectors be mounted close to the floor.
How to install a carbon monoxide detector near a floor or ceiling.
A co detector should also not be placed within 15 feet of heating or cooking appliances or in or near very humid areas such.
Why co alarms are often installed near the floor.
The detector may be placed on the ceiling.
Carbon monoxide is the number one cause of poisoning deaths the in united states.
One of the reasons carbon monoxide is so dangerous is because it s colorless and odorless making it almost impossible to detect unless you have a carbon monoxide detector.
Co alarms can also have a screen that shows the co level and needs to be at a height where it s easy to read.
So where should carbon monoxide detectors be placed in order to best detect co leaks in your home.
Which meant they were mounted within 12 of the ceiling or on the ceiling.
Because carbon monoxide is slightly lighter than air and also because it may be found with warm rising air detectors should be placed on a wall about 5 feet above the floor.
In my case this is the living room because that is where our fireplace is.
The carbon monoxide detector should be hung in the room where carbon monoxide can be produced.
Homeowners should take care to not install co detectors directly above or beside fuel burning appliances as such appliances may emit a small amount of carbon monoxide during their start up phase causing false alarms.
They should be fitted in each room where a fuel burning appliance operates near sleeping areas and on every floor of the building.
It is also important to note that the acoustic alarm signal extends from the detector s place of installation to the bedroom and that in the event of an alarm you will.
Make sure the co detector is located in close proximity on the same floor as the sleeping areas so that an alarm can be heard when sleeping.
Standalone carbon monoxide alarms are often placed low on the wall because they need to be plugged into an outlet that s near the floor.
A carbon monoxide detector alerts occupants of a room or a building when levels of the gas reach dangerous levels.
Carbon monoxide detector placement.
Putting it all together.
There s an ongoing debate over whether you should place carbon monoxide detectors low on the wall close to the floor or high on the wall close to the ceiling.
Where to place carbon monoxide detectors.
It also sends more than 20 000 people to emergency rooms every year.