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Carbon monoxide detector attached to wall of home
January 08, 2024

Where To Place Carbon Monoxide Detectors In Your Lawrence Home

Property owners must defend against various risks like burglary, fire, and flooding. But what about a danger that can’t be perceived by human senses? Carbon monoxide poses an uncommon challenge as you might never know it’s there. Even so, using CO detectors can easily shield your family and property. Find out more about this potentially lethal gas and where to place carbon monoxide detectors in your Lawrence residence.

What Is Carbon Monoxide?

Known as the silent killer due to its lack of color, taste, or odor, carbon monoxide is a common gas produced by the incomplete combustion of fuels. Any fuel-consuming appliance like a fireplace or furnace can produce carbon monoxide. Although you usually won’t have a problem, issues can arise when appliances are not regularly maintained or adequately vented. These oversights can lead to a proliferation of the potentially lethal gas in your interior. Generators and heaters of various types are the most consistent reasons for CO poisoning.

When exposed to minute levels of CO, you could suffer from dizziness, headaches, fatigue nausea, or vomiting. Continuous exposure to high amounts may lead to cardiopulmonary arrest, coma, and death.

Tips For Where To Place Lawrence Carbon Monoxide Detectors

If your home doesn’t have a carbon monoxide detector, buy one now. Ideally, you ought to install one on each level of your home, and that includes basements. Here are several suggestions on where to place carbon monoxide detectors in Lawrence:

  • Put them on every floor, specifically where you use fuel-burning appliances, like furnaces, gas dryers, fireplaces, and water heaters.
  • You should always use one within 10 feet of sleeping areas. If you only get one CO detector, this is the place for it.
  • Position them about 10 to 20 feet away from potential CO producing appliances.
  • Do not position them immediately next to or above fuel-consuming appliances, as a small degree of carbon monoxide may be emitted when they start and trigger a false alarm.
  • Attach them to walls approximately five feet above the floor so they can measure air where inhabitants are breathing it.
  • Avoid installing them in dead-air areas and next to windows or doors.
  • Put one in areas above garages.

Inspect your CO detectors routinely and maintain them per manufacturer guidelines. You will generally need to replace units within five or six years. You should also ensure any fuel-burning appliances are in in proper working condition and adequately vented.