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

Where To Place Carbon Monoxide Detectors In Your Cincinnati Property

Property owners must safeguard against a variety of risks like burglary, fire, and flooding. But what about a danger that you aren’t able to see or smell? Carbon monoxide creates an uncommon challenge as you may never realize it’s there. Nevertheless, using CO detectors can effectively protect your family and property. Explore more about this potentially lethal gas and where to place carbon monoxide detectors in your Cincinnati home.

What Is Carbon Monoxide?

Referred to as the silent killer due to its absence of odor, taste, or color, carbon monoxide is a readily found gas caused by the incomplete combustion of fuels. Any fuel-consuming appliance like a fireplace or furnace may produce carbon monoxide. While you normally won’t have problems, complications can arise when an appliance is not regularly maintained or appropriately vented. These missteps could result in a proliferation of the potentially lethal gas in your residence. Generators and heating appliances are the most common causes for CO poisoning.

When subjected to minute amounts of CO, you could experience headaches, dizziness, fatigue nausea, or vomiting. Extended exposure to high levels can cause cardiorespiratory failure, coma, and death.

Tips For Where To Place Cincinnati Carbon Monoxide Detectors

If your home lacks a carbon monoxide detector, purchase one now. If possible, you ought to use one on every level of your home, and that includes basements. Review these recommendations on where to place carbon monoxide detectors in Cincinnati:

  • Place them on each level, specifically where you have fuel-burning appliances, including furnaces, water heaters, fireplaces, and gas dryers.
  • You should always use one within 10 feet of bedrooms. If you only get one CO detector, this is where to put it.
  • Place them at least 10 to 20 feet away from sources of CO.
  • Do not affix them directly above or next to fuel-consuming appliances, as a small degree of carbon monoxide could be emitted when they start and set off a false alarm.
  • Fasten them to walls at least five feet above the floor so they will measure air where occupants are breathing it.
  • Avoid putting them beside windows or doors and in dead-air areas.
  • Install one in spaces above garages.

Inspect your CO detectors often and maintain them according to manufacturer instructions. You will generally have to switch them out every five to six years. You should also ensure any fuel-burning appliances are in in optimal working order and adequately vented.