The best place to put a carbon monoxide detector in your home is on each level of the home, inside or near each bedroom, and near an attached garage. If you are only able to install one detector, place it outside the main bedroom.
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 International Association of Fire Chiefs recommends a carbon monoxide detector on every floor of your home, including the basement. A detector should be located within 10 feet of each bedroom door and there should be one near or over any attached garage.
You should also place a detector in any room situated directly above your garage. The specific gravity of Carbon Monoxide is 0.9657 (with normal air being 1.0), this means that it will float up towards the ceiling because it is lighter than regular air.
Sensors for heavier-than-air gases should generally be positioned 6 inches (15 cm) to 12 inches (30 cm) from the ground, as these gases tend to settle near the floor. For lighter-than-air gases, sensors are best placed near the ceiling or on high surfaces as these gases rise.
Sensors should be located near the floor for gases or vapors three or four times heavier than air. They should be installed near the ceiling or roof to detect lighter-than-air gases.
Natural gas is lighter than air, so it will rise and disperse if allowed to vent freely. Although rare, natural gas leaks can be dangerous and result in fire, explosions, injury or death. If you suspect a leak, call 1-800-ALLIANT (800-255-4268) immediately.
Why carbon monoxide (CO) alarms don't need to be installed near the floor. There's a myth that carbon monoxide alarms should be installed lower on the wall because carbon monoxide is heavier than air. In fact, carbon monoxide is slightly lighter than air and diffuses evenly throughout the room.
Do electric dryers release carbon monoxide? No, you cannot get carbon monoxide poisoning from an electric dryer because there's no gas involved. Carbon monoxide and its potential for poisoning cannot be produced by any appliance that do not burn gas.
A carbon monoxide detector should not be placed within three meters 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.
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.
The most common symptoms of CO poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. CO symptoms are often described as “flu-like.” If you breathe in a lot of CO, it can make you pass out or kill you.
Don't install your CO detector in areas with high heat and/or humidity, or in direct sunlight – think bathrooms, sunrooms, small laundry rooms.
FAQS About Best CO Alarm Placement
Choose the right location: Place the detector on every level of your home, near sleeping areas, and close to fuel-burning appliances, following manufacturer guidelines. Mount the detector: Install the detector on a wall at knee level, above the ground and away from obstructions.
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.
The alarm should be at a horizontal distance of between 1 m and 3 m from the potential source. If there is a partition in a room, the alarm should be located on the same side of the partition as the potential source. Carbon monoxide alarms in rooms with sloped ceilings should be located at the high side of the room.
Carbon Monoxide sources in the home
Water heaters. Furnaces or boilers. Fireplaces, both gas and wood burning. Gas stoves and ovens.
It's always best to empty and ventilate the machine, leaving the door open after a cycle. This way, residual moisture can escape. Even if the load has entirely dried, leaving clothes to sit in your dryer will encourage wrinkles, so you may need to spend more time ironing as a consequence.
Random Beeps from Carbon Monoxide Detector
LED lights often indicate the battery level, so check if the battery requires replacing if the detector chirps. Low batteries send signals to chirp or beep once every minute. The presence of carbon monoxide causes many beeps every few seconds.
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.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is mostly found in homes near fuel-burning appliances, such stoves, water heaters, and fireplaces. It can accumulate in areas where these appliances are located, especially if they are poorly ventilated or malfunctioning.
Carbon monoxide detectors should be installed on every level of your home so all family members can hear the alarms and be alerted to the emergency. You should also have carbon monoxide detectors in every bedroom and outside each sleeping area.
A natural gas alarm should be installed indoors in any room that has a gas-fueled appliance. This can include a stove, furnace, water heater, gas fireplace, or a gas dryer. It should be installed on the wall, within 12 inches from the ceiling.
Hydrogen Sulfide
The gas has a strong scent of rotten eggs, which makes it distinct from other, similar gases. If you detect this rotten egg scent and you are using hydrogen sulfide at your facility, this could be evidence of a leak.
Although it is your responsibility to maintain your gas appliances, The Gas Company will perform appliance safety checks upon request.