Where should you not put a carbon monoxide detector?

Author: Kelvin Williamson  |  Last update: Sunday, March 9, 2025

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.

Should a carbon monoxide detector be placed high or low?

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.

Can you put a carbon monoxide detector in the kitchen?

Carbon monoxide alarms must be installed in any room containing any fixed combustion appliance, except gas cookers. This means a fixed apparatus where fuel of any type is burned to generate heat.

Where is the safest place to put a carbon monoxide detector?

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.

Should a carbon monoxide detector be on the ceiling?

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.

What Most Homeowners Don’t Know About Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Which rooms to put carbon monoxide detector?

1.1 and 5.1. 1.2, all CO detectors 'shall be centrally located outside of each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms,' and each detector 'shall be located on the wall, ceiling or other location as specified in the installation instructions that accompany the unit.

Does CO2 rise or fall in a room?

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.

What are two warning signs of carbon monoxide poisoning?

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.

Does carbon dioxide rise or sink?

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.

What houses should have carbon monoxide detectors?

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends that every home should have a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm.

Where should I position my carbon monoxide detector?

We recommend you install a carbon monoxide or combination alarm on each level of a multi-level home. If your home has only one CO or combination alarm, it should be installed in the main bedroom or in the hallway outside of the sleeping areas. Place the alarm at least 1.5m away from fuel-burning appliances.

Do I need a CO detector if I have a gas stove?

It is strongly recommended for all occupied homes to have carbon monoxide detectors installed. It is especially important for homes with equipment like furnaces, stoves, generators, and gas water heaters to install carbon monoxide detectors to help prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

Do I need a carbon monoxide detector in every room?

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.

What is the best height for a carbon monoxide detector?

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.

Can you put a carbon monoxide detector in a bathroom?

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.

Does carbon monoxide rise or sink in your house?

Carbon monoxide (CO) does not have a natural tendency to rise or fall like some gases such as hot air or helium. Instead, it behaves more like other common gases such as nitrogen and oxygen in terms of its distribution within a space.

Does carbon monoxide rise to the ceiling?

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.

Does a candle give off carbon dioxide?

Wax is made of hydrogen and carbon. When a candle burns, the hydrogen and carbon from the wax combine with the oxygen in the air to become carbon dioxide and water vapor. Most of the matter in the candle ends up as these two gases.

Where does CO2 in the house come from?

Sources of CO2 in indoor air

Carbon dioxide is a pollutant found in indoor and outdoor 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.

What to do if a carbon monoxide alarm goes off and then stops?

If you have a carbon monoxide detector chirping and then it stops, it's important to take the situation seriously, even if the alarm is no longer sounding. Even if the alarm has stopped, get everyone out of the home to a place with fresh air.

How to detect carbon monoxide with iPhone?

Go to the Home app on your iPhone or iPad. , then tap Home Settings. Tap Safety & Security. Tap Sound Recognition, then turn on Smoke & CO Alarm.

How many carbon monoxide detectors do I need?

At a minimum, though, you want to ensure you have a carbon monoxide detector at every level of your home – including your basement. They should also be placed near each bedroom and near the entrance to the garage.

Where should carbon monoxide detectors be placed?

At a minimum, industry experts recommend a CO alarm be installed on each level of the home -- ideally on any level with fuel burning appliances and outside of sleeping areas. Additional CO alarms are recommended 5-20 feet from sources of CO such as a furnace, water heater or fireplace.

What causes CO2 in bedroom?

Because we all breathe out carbon dioxide, the gas tends to build up indoors, particularly when there isn't much ventilation. Modern homes have become more airtight, in order to save on energy costs, while many of the ventilation systems we use today recycle air to be more efficient.

Can air purifiers remove CO2?

No. They do not remove carbon dioxide (CO2). Almost all air purifiers are designed to capture some combination of particles and toxic gasses, but CO2 can't be captured by the same filters that capture other gaseous air pollution. Only ventilation removes CO2.

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