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

Where To Place Carbon Monoxide Detectors In Your Las Cruces House

Homeowners must defend against a variety of risks like burglary, fire, and flooding. But what about a risk that you can’t smell or see? Carbon monoxide creates an uncommon challenge because you may never realize it’s there. Nevertheless, implementing CO detectors can easily shield yourself and your household. Find out more about this hazardous gas and where to place carbon monoxide detectors in your Las Cruces residence.

What Is Carbon Monoxide?

Called the silent killer because of its absence of color, odor, or taste, carbon monoxide is a readily found gas produced by an incomplete combustion of fuels. Any fuel-utilizing appliance like a fireplace or furnace can produce carbon monoxide. While you normally won’t have any trouble, issues can arise when appliances are not frequently maintained or properly vented. These oversights can cause a proliferation of this dangerous gas in your residence. Heating appliances and generators are commonly responsible for CO poisoning.

When exposed to lower concentrations of CO, you might notice dizziness, headaches, fatigue nausea, or vomiting. Continuous exposure to high levels could lead to cardiorespiratory arrest, coma, and death.

Recommendations For Where To Place Las Cruces Carbon Monoxide Detectors

If your home doesn’t have a carbon monoxide detector, get one now. If possible, you should have one on every floor of your home, including basements. Browse these recommendations on where to place carbon monoxide detectors in Las Cruces:

  • Put them on every floor, particularly in places where you have fuel-burning appliances, such as fireplaces, furnaces, water heaters, and gas dryers.
  • Always have one no more than 10 feet away from bedrooms. If you only get one carbon monoxide detector, this is where to put it.
  • Place them approximately 10 to 20 feet from potential CO sources.
  • Do not position them directly beside or above fuel-consuming appliances, as a non-threatening amount of carbon monoxide might be discharged when they start and prompt a false alarm.
  • Secure them to walls at least five feet above the floor so they can sample air where people are breathing it.
  • Avoid putting them in dead-air areas and beside doors or windows.
  • Place one in spaces above attached garages.

Test your CO detectors routinely and maintain them according to manufacturer guidelines. You will generally need to replace them in six years or less. You should also make sure any fuel-utilizing appliances are in in optimal working shape and have appropriate ventilation.