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

Where To Place Carbon Monoxide Detectors In Your Kansas City House

Property owners must defend against various risks like fire, burglary, and flooding. But what about a risk that can’t be detected by human senses? Carbon monoxide creates unique challenges as you may never be aware that it’s there. Nevertheless, implementing CO detectors can simply safeguard your family and property. Learn more about this potentially lethal gas and where to place carbon monoxide detectors in your Kansas City home.

What Is Carbon Monoxide?

Referred to as the silent killer as of a result of its lack of odor, color, and taste, carbon monoxide is a commonly found gas formed by an incomplete combustion of fuels. Any fuel-utilizing appliance like a fireplace or furnace can generate carbon monoxide. Even though you normally won’t have a problem, complications can crop up when appliances are not frequently inspected or properly vented. These missteps can result in an accumulation of this dangerous gas in your residence. Generators and heating appliances are commonly to blame for CO poisoning.

When subjected to lower levels of CO, you could suffer from dizziness, headaches, fatigue nausea, or vomiting. Extended exposure to elevated amounts may result in cardiorespiratory failure, and potentially death.

Recommendations On Where To Place Kansas City Carbon Monoxide Detectors

If you don’t use a carbon monoxide detector in your residence, purchase one today. Preferably, you should have one on each level of your home, and that includes basements. Here are a few recommendations on where to place carbon monoxide detectors in Kansas City:

  • Install them on every level, especially in places where you have fuel-burning appliances, like furnaces, water heaters, fireplaces, and gas dryers.
  • You should always install one no more than 10 feet away from bedrooms. If you only get one CO detector, this is the place for it.
  • Position them approximately 10 to 20 feet from potential CO producing appliances.
  • Avoid affixing them immediately above or next to fuel-burning appliances, as a little carbon monoxide may be emitted when they kick on and prompt a false alarm.
  • Attach them to walls approximately five feet off the floor so they may sample air where people are breathing it.
  • Avoid installing them near doors or windows and in dead-air areas.
  • Install one in rooms above garages.

Test your CO detectors routinely and maintain them in accordance with manufacturer instructions. You will generally have to switch them out within five or six years. You should also make sure any fuel-consuming appliances are in in optimal working order and have appropriate ventilation.