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

Where To Place Carbon Monoxide Detectors In Your Chattanooga House

Residents must defend against numerous risks like burglary, flooding, and fire. But what about a risk that you are unable to smell or see? Carbon monoxide is different from other dangers because you may never know it’s there. Nevertheless, installing CO detectors can simply shield you and your household. Explore more about this dangerous gas and where to place carbon monoxide detectors in your Chattanooga residence.

What Is Carbon Monoxide?

Referred to as the silent killer due to its absence of odor, taste, or color, carbon monoxide is a common gas produced by an incomplete combustion of fuels. Any appliance that uses fuels like a furnace or fireplace may create carbon monoxide. While you normally won’t have problems, difficulties can arise when an appliance is not frequently inspected or appropriately vented. These mistakes could result in a build-up of this potentially deadly gas in your home. Generators and heaters of various types are the most consistent culprits for CO poisoning.

When exposed to lower concentrations of CO, you might notice fatigue, headaches, dizziness nausea, or vomiting. Prolonged exposure to high amounts could result in cardiopulmonary arrest, coma, and death.

Recommendations For Where To Place Chattanooga Carbon Monoxide Detectors

If you don’t have a carbon monoxide detector in your home, get one today. If possible, you ought to use one on every floor of your home, including basements. Here are a few tips on where to place carbon monoxide detectors in Chattanooga:

  • Put them on each floor, particularly in places where you have fuel-burning appliances, like water heaters, furnaces, gas dryers, and fireplaces.
  • You should always have one within 10 feet of sleeping areas. If you only have one CO detector, this is where it should go.
  • install them about 10 to 20 feet from potential CO sources.
  • Avoid placing them right beside or above fuel-consuming appliances, as a little carbon monoxide could be discharged when they start and trigger a false alarm.
  • Secure them to walls about five feet from the ground so they can sample air where inhabitants are breathing it.
  • Avoid putting them in dead-air places and near doors or windows.
  • Install one in areas above attached garages.

Inspect your CO detectors routinely and maintain them in accordance with manufacturer recommendations. You will generally need to switch them out every five to six years. You should also make certain any fuel-consuming appliances are in in proper working condition and sufficiently vented.