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

Where To Place Carbon Monoxide Detectors In Your El Paso Property

Residents must defend against various risks like fire, burglary, and flooding. But what about a danger that you aren’t able to see or smell? Carbon monoxide presents an uncommon challenge as you might never know it’s there. Despite that, implementing CO detectors can easily protect you and your household. Explore more about this dangerous gas and where to place carbon monoxide detectors in your El Paso property.

What Is Carbon Monoxide?

Known as the silent killer due to its absence of color, odor, or taste, carbon monoxide is a readily found gas produced by incomplete fuel combustion. Any fuel-burning appliance like an oven or fireplace can create carbon monoxide. Although you usually won’t have a problem, complications can crop up when equipment is not routinely maintained or properly vented. These mistakes may result in a proliferation of the potentially lethal gas in your interior. Generators and heaters of various types are the most frequent causes for CO poisoning.

When in contact with lower amounts of CO, you might experience fatigue, headaches, dizziness nausea, or vomiting. Prolonged exposure to elevated amounts could result in cardiopulmonary arrest, and even death.

Suggestions For Where To Place El Paso Carbon Monoxide Detectors

If you don’t have a carbon monoxide detector in your home, get one today. Ideally, you ought to have one on each floor of your home, and that includes basements. Review these recommendations on where to place carbon monoxide detectors in El Paso:

  • Put them on each floor, particularly in places where you use fuel-burning appliances, such as furnaces, gas dryers, fireplaces, and water heaters.
  • Always use one within 10 feet of bedrooms. If you only install one carbon monoxide detector, this is where to put it.
  • Place them about 10 to 20 feet away from potential CO producing appliances.
  • Avoid placing them right beside or above fuel-consuming appliances, as a non-threatening amount of carbon monoxide could be emitted when they start and trigger a false alarm.
  • Attach them to walls approximately five feet off the ground so they will sample air where inhabitants are breathing it.
  • Avoid using them next to doors or windows and in dead-air zones.
  • Place one in spaces above attached garages.

Inspect your CO detectors regularly and maintain them according to manufacturer instructions. You will usually have to replace them every five to six years. You should also ensure any fuel-consuming appliances are in in good working order and have appropriate ventilation.