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

Where To Place Carbon Monoxide Detectors In Your Long Beach House

Homeowners must safeguard against various risks like fire, flooding, and burglary. But what about a danger that can’t be detected by human senses? Carbon monoxide is different from other risks as you may never know it’s there. Even so, using CO detectors can simply protect you and your household. Explore more about this hazardous gas and where to place carbon monoxide detectors in your Long Beach residence.

What Is Carbon Monoxide?

Referred to as the silent killer as of a result of its lack of color, odor, or taste, carbon monoxide is a commonly found gas formed by an incomplete combustion of fuels. Any appliance that uses fuels like an oven or furnace can create carbon monoxide. Even though you typically won’t have problems, complications can arise when equipment is not regularly maintained or appropriately vented. These missteps could lead to a proliferation of this potentially deadly gas in your residence. Heating appliances and generators are commonly culpable for CO poisoning.

When subjected to lower concentrations of CO, you may suffer from dizziness, headaches, fatigue nausea, or vomiting. Prolonged exposure to higher amounts could cause cardiorespiratory failure, and potentially death.

Suggestions For Where To Place Long Beach Carbon Monoxide Detectors

If your home doesn’t have a carbon monoxide detector, get one today. If possible, you should use one on each level of your home, and that includes basements. Here are a few suggestions on where to place carbon monoxide detectors in Long Beach:

  • Put them on each level, specifically in areas where you have fuel-burning appliances, such as furnaces, water heaters, fireplaces, and gas dryers.
  • You should always have one no more than 10 feet away from sleeping areas. If you only get one CO detector, this is where it should go.
  • install them about 10 to 20 feet from potential CO sources.
  • Do not position them immediately beside or above fuel-burning appliances, as a non-hazardous amount of carbon monoxide could be released when they start and trigger a false alarm.
  • Fasten them to walls approximately five feet off the ground so they may test air where people are breathing it.
  • Avoid using them in dead-air places and near doors or windows.
  • Place one in areas above garages.

Test your CO detectors regularly and maintain them in accordance with manufacturer recommendations. You will typically have to switch them out within five or six years. You should also make certain any fuel-burning appliances are in in good working condition and have appropriate ventilation.