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

Where To Place Carbon Monoxide Detectors In Your Charleston Property

Residents must safeguard against a variety of risks like fire, burglary, and flooding. But what about something that you aren’t able to smell or see? Carbon monoxide poses unique challenges because you might never realize it’s there. Despite that, installing CO detectors can simply protect your loved ones and property. Explore more about this dangerous gas and where to place carbon monoxide detectors in your Charleston property.

What Is Carbon Monoxide?

Referred to as the silent killer as of a result of its absence of odor, taste, or color, carbon monoxide is a readily found gas formed by incomplete fuel combustion. Any appliance that consumes fuels like an oven or furnace may generate carbon monoxide. Although you normally won’t have problems, complications can arise when equipment is not routinely serviced or properly vented. These oversights may cause an accumulation of this dangerous gas in your home. Heating appliances and generators are the most common causes for CO poisoning.

When in contact with lower levels of CO, you could notice headaches, dizziness, fatigue nausea, or vomiting. Extended exposure to elevated concentrations may lead to cardiopulmonary arrest, coma, and death.

Tips For Where To Place Charleston Carbon Monoxide Detectors

If your home is without a carbon monoxide detector, get one today. If possible, you should use one on every floor of your home, including basements. Here are some suggestions on where to place carbon monoxide detectors in Charleston:

  • Place them on each floor, specifically where you use fuel-burning appliances, such as furnaces, water heaters, fireplaces, and gas dryers.
  • You ought to always install one no more than 10 feet away from bedrooms. If you only install one CO detector, this is where to put it.
  • install them approximately 10 to 20 feet away from sources of CO.
  • Avoid affixing them right beside or above fuel-utilizing appliances, as a non-hazardous amount of carbon monoxide may be discharged when they kick on and prompt a false alarm.
  • Fasten them to walls about five feet off the ground so they can measure air where people are breathing it.
  • Avoid using them near doors or windows and in dead-air zones.
  • Place one in areas above garages.

Check your CO detectors regularly and maintain them according to manufacturer recommendations. You will typically have to replace them every five to six years. You should also ensure any fuel-burning appliances are in in optimal working condition and sufficiently vented.