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

Where To Place Carbon Monoxide Detectors In Your Toledo House

Property owners must safeguard against a variety of risks like fire, flooding, and burglary. But what about something that you can’t see or smell? Carbon monoxide poses a unique challenge as you might never realize it’s there. Even so, using CO detectors can simply shield yourself and your household. Find out more about this potentially lethal gas and where to place carbon monoxide detectors in your Toledo home.

What Is Carbon Monoxide?

Called the silent killer because of its absence of odor, color, and taste, carbon monoxide is a common gas formed by the incomplete combustion of fuels. Any appliance that consumes fuels like an oven or fireplace can generate carbon monoxide. While you usually won’t have any trouble, difficulties can arise when an appliance is not regularly serviced or properly vented. These oversights may result in an accumulation of this potentially deadly gas in your interior. Generators and heaters of various types are commonly to blame for CO poisoning.

When exposed to low levels of CO, you might experience dizziness, headaches, fatigue nausea, or vomiting. Extended exposure to high amounts may lead to cardiopulmonary arrest, and even death.

Recommendations For Where To Place Toledo Carbon Monoxide Detectors

If you don’t use a carbon monoxide detector in your interior, get one now. Preferably, you should use one on every floor of your home, and that includes basements. Browse these recommendations on where to place carbon monoxide detectors in Toledo:

  • Place them on every level, specifically in places where you use fuel-burning appliances, like water heaters, furnaces, gas dryers, and fireplaces.
  • You should always use one no more than 10 feet away from bedrooms. If you only install one CO detector, this is the place for it.
  • Place them about 10 to 20 feet away from potential CO sources.
  • Avoid installing them directly above or beside fuel-burning appliances, as a small amount of carbon monoxide may be discharged when they kick on and set off a false alarm.
  • Attach them to walls approximately five feet above the floor so they can test air where people are breathing it.
  • Avoid using them in dead-air areas and next to windows or doors.
  • Place one in areas above garages.

Inspect your CO detectors regularly and maintain them according to manufacturer guidelines. You will typically need to switch them out within five or six years. You should also ensure any fuel-utilizing appliances are in in proper working shape and sufficiently vented.