Carbon monoxide (CO) and combination alarms should be mounted in or near bedrooms and living areas, on a wall place six inches below the ceiling to six inches above the floor. If mounting on a ceiling, make sure it is at least six inches away from the wall.
Carbon monoxide is lighter than air. It also rises with warm air, so the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends placing a carbon monoxide detector on a wall about five feet above the floor or about eye level. You can put them on the ceiling, too.
The physical properties of carbon monoxide (CO) and the detectors themselves make positioning critical for your protection. CO is lighter than air and as it rises, it accumulates near ceilings. Detectors need to be placed higher on the walls or on the ceiling, but not so high that they're easy to ignore.
A carbon monoxide detector should not be placed within fifteen feet of heating or cooking appliances or in or near very humid areas such as bathrooms. For more information about carbon monoxide safety, visit the National Fire Protection Association.
9 ppm (parts-per-million) is the maximum indoor safe carbon monoxide level over 8 hours. 200 ppm or greater will cause physical symptoms and is fatal in hours. 800 ppm of CO or greater in the air is fatal within minutes.
36-99 ppm CO: flu-like symptoms among all; nausea, headaches, fatigue or drowsiness, vomiting. 100+ ppm CO: severe symptoms; confusion, intense headaches; ultimately brain damage, coma, and/or death, especially at levels 300-400+ ppm.
The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) recommends an 8- hour TWA Threshold Limit Value (TLV) of 5,000 ppm and a Ceiling exposure limit (not to be exceeded) of 30,000 ppm for a 10-minute period. A value of 40,000 is considered immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH value).
In living spaces: they should be positioned close to where the occupant's head is likely to be most of the time – e.g., on your bedside table. On the ceiling: at least 30cm away from any wall, light fitting, or other obstruction.
Place smoke detectors at least 3 feet from ceiling fans. There are two basic types of smoke detectors: 1. Ionization detectors - Ionization detectors contain radioactive material that ionizes the air, making an electrical path.
[NIOSH REL] The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has established a recommended exposure limit (REL) for carbon monoxide of 35 ppm (40 mg/m(3)) as an 8-hour TWA and 200 ppm (229 mg/m(3)) as a ceiling [NIOSH 1992]. The NIOSH limit is based on the risk of cardiovascular effects.
CO2 levels rise and fall regularly indoors. There are many factors that affect CO2 levels including ventilation, amount of people, and length of time in an enclosed space.
This could be due to a faulty device, old batteries, or just dust buildup in the unit itself. It's better to be safe than sorry. If your alarm sounds, it's important to call emergency responders. They can tell you if you're experiencing a false alarm.
This demonstration proves that gases do indeed have mass (or, more specifically, differing densities that enable them to rise and sink relative to each other). The carbon dioxide is more dense than the air surrounding it, so bubbles of the gas fall to the ground.
Carbon monoxide alarms are required within 10 feet of each sleeping room in every newly constructed hotel or building with a fossil fuel burning heater or appliance, a fireplace, and attached garage, or other feature, fixture or element that emits carbon monoxide as a byproduct of combustion.
According to the International Association of Fire Chiefs, carbon monoxide detectors should be installed on every floor of the home, including basements. Detectors should be located within 10 feet of each bedroom door, and be placed near or over any attached garages.
Call for Help: If you cannot identify a simple reason for the alarm (like a low battery) or if you suspect elevated levels of CO, call emergency services or the fire department immediately.
Your carbon monoxide alarm is going off for one of the following reasons: It is doing its job properly and detects CO pollution in the air. It is a false alarm caused by other household items. The detector is malfunctioning or the batteries need changing.
Carbon monoxide detectors are affected by excessive humidity and by close proximity to gas stoves (source: City of New York); near, but not directly above, combustion appliances, such as furnaces, water heaters, and fireplaces, and in the garage (source: UL); and.
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. The detector may be placed on the ceiling. Do not place the detector right next to or over a fireplace or flame-producing appliance.
Carbon monoxide detectors can be placed anywhere in the room. Contrary to popular belief that CO is heavier than air, CO alarms can be placed on the wall or the ceiling and will be just as effective.
According to carbon monoxide experts, carbon monoxide alarms should be located outside of each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms, and each alarm should be installed on the wall, ceiling or other location as specified by the alarm's instruction manual.
The World Health Organization recommends that the indoor air level for CO be below an average of nine parts per million (ppm) for any eight-hour period, and below 25 ppm for any one-hour period. One ppm means one part of CO per million parts of air.
Carbon dioxide is a waste product that your body gets rid of when you exhale. If you can't get rid of it, it can build up in your blood. COPD and conditions that affect your lungs, brain, nerves and muscles are the most common causes.
Sources of CO2 in indoor air
Indoors, CO2 is mainly produced through the respiration (breathing) of occupants, but can also come from: cigarette smoking. unvented or poorly vented fuel-burning appliances.