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

Where To Place Carbon Monoxide Detectors In Your San Francisco Home

Property owners must protect against numerous risks like burglary, flooding, and fire. But what about a risk that can’t be perceived by human senses? Carbon monoxide is different from other threats as you may never be aware that it’s there. Nevertheless, implementing CO detectors can simply safeguard you and your household. Learn more about this potentially lethal gas and where to place carbon monoxide detectors in your San Francisco home.

What Is Carbon Monoxide?

Known as the silent killer because of its absence of odor, taste, or color, carbon monoxide is a readily found gas produced by an incomplete combustion of fuels. Any fuel-utilizing appliance like a fireplace or furnace can create carbon monoxide. While you normally won’t have problems, complications can crop up when appliances are not frequently inspected or adequately vented. These oversights could result in an accumulation of this dangerous gas in your interior. Generators and heating appliances are the most frequent reasons for CO poisoning.

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

Recommendations For Where To Place San Francisco Carbon Monoxide Detectors

If your home lacks a carbon monoxide detector, purchase one today. If possible, you ought to install one on each floor, including basements. Explore these recommendations on where to place carbon monoxide detectors in San Francisco:

  • Put them on each floor, specifically in places where you have fuel-burning appliances, like furnaces, water heaters, fireplaces, and gas dryers.
  • Always have one within 10 feet of sleeping areas. If you only get one CO detector, this is where to put it.
  • Place them about 10 to 20 feet away from potential CO sources.
  • Do not position them directly above or next to fuel-consuming appliances, as a bit of carbon monoxide might be emitted when they start and set off a false alarm.
  • Fasten them to walls approximately five feet from the floor so they can test air where occupants are breathing it.
  • Avoid installing them near windows or doors and in dead-air areas.
  • Place one in areas above attached garages.

Test your CO detectors routinely and maintain them according to manufacturer instructions. You will usually need to switch them out every five to six years. You should also ensure any fuel-utilizing appliances are in in proper working condition and adequately vented.