ADT® Authorized Dealer Serving Pittsburgh & Surrounding Areas
Carbon monoxide detector attached to wall of home
January 08, 2024

Where To Place Carbon Monoxide Detectors In Your Pittsburgh House

Residents must protect against a variety of risks like burglary, flooding, and fire. But what about a risk that you are unable to see or smell? Carbon monoxide presents unique challenges as you may never know it’s there. Even so, implementing CO detectors can effectively safeguard yourself and your household. Explore more about this potentially lethal gas and where to place carbon monoxide detectors in your Pittsburgh residence.

What Is Carbon Monoxide?

Called the silent killer because of its absence of color, odor, or taste, carbon monoxide is a commonly found gas formed by an incomplete combustion of fuels. Any fuel-consuming appliance like a fireplace or furnace may create carbon monoxide. Although you typically won’t have a problem, complications can arise when appliances are not frequently inspected or properly vented. These oversights can lead to a proliferation of this dangerous gas in your interior. Generators and heating appliances are the most frequent causes for CO poisoning.

When subjected to lower concentrations of CO, you may experience headaches, dizziness, fatigue nausea, or vomiting. Continuous exposure to high concentrations may cause cardiopulmonary arrest, coma, and death.

Recommendations On Where To Place Pittsburgh Carbon Monoxide Detectors

If your home lacks a carbon monoxide detector, get one now. Ideally, you should have one on each level of your home, including basements. Review these recommendations on where to place carbon monoxide detectors in Pittsburgh:

  • Install them on every floor, particularly in areas where you utilize fuel-burning appliances, including fireplaces, furnaces, water heaters, and gas dryers.
  • You should always have one no more than 10 feet away from bedrooms. If you only get one CO detector, this is where it should go.
  • Place them at least 10 to 20 feet away from potential CO producing appliances.
  • Avoid installing them directly beside or above fuel-utilizing appliances, as a bit of carbon monoxide might be emitted when they start and set off a false alarm.
  • Secure them to walls at least five feet above the ground so they will sample air where inhabitants are breathing it.
  • Avoid installing them in dead-air zones and beside doors or windows.
  • Put one in spaces above garages.

Test your CO detectors regularly and maintain them according to manufacturer recommendations. You will usually have to replace them in six years or less. You should also make certain any fuel-utilizing appliances are in in optimal working condition and have proper ventilation.