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

Where To Place Carbon Monoxide Detectors In Your Sacramento Property

Homeowners must safeguard against numerous risks like burglary, flooding, and fire. But what about something that can’t be discerned by human senses? Carbon monoxide poses a unique challenge as you might never realize it’s there. Even so, installing CO detectors can effectively protect you and your household. Explore more about this dangerous gas and where to place carbon monoxide detectors in your Sacramento property.

What Is Carbon Monoxide?

Called the silent killer due to its absence of color, taste, or odor, carbon monoxide is a common gas caused by an incomplete combustion of fuels. Any fuel-utilizing appliance like a fireplace or furnace may produce carbon monoxide. Although you usually won’t have a problem, complications can arise when an appliance is not regularly maintained or properly vented. These oversights can lead to a proliferation of this dangerous gas in your residence. Generators and heaters of various types are the most consistent reasons for CO poisoning.

When exposed to minute amounts of CO, you could notice dizziness, headaches, fatigue nausea, or vomiting. Prolonged exposure to elevated concentrations may result in cardiorespiratory arrest, coma, and death.

Tips For Where To Place Sacramento Carbon Monoxide Detectors

If your home lacks a carbon monoxide detector, purchase one today. Ideally, you should have one on each floor of your home, including basements. Here are several suggestions on where to place carbon monoxide detectors in Sacramento:

  • Place them on every level, specifically in places where you use fuel-burning appliances, like furnaces, water heaters, fireplaces, and gas dryers.
  • You should always have one within 10 feet of sleeping areas. If you only have one carbon monoxide detector, this is the place for it.
  • Place them about 10 to 20 feet away from potential CO producing appliances.
  • Avoid installing them right above or next to fuel-utilizing appliances, as a small amount of carbon monoxide may be discharged when they start and set off a false alarm.
  • Attach them to walls approximately five feet above the ground so they will sample air where occupants are breathing it.
  • Avoid putting them in dead-air places and next to windows or doors.
  • Install one in spaces above garages.

Check your CO detectors routinely and maintain them per manufacturer guidelines. You will generally need to switch them out within five or six years. You should also make sure any fuel-utilizing appliances are in in optimal working condition and sufficiently vented.