Did you know that each fuel-burning appliance in our homes (including gas furnaces) produces some levels of carbon monoxide? Normally these gasses are carried out of our homes, but if something goes wrong a CO leak can be life-threatening. That’s why it’s so important to have carbon monoxide detectors to help warn you of excess CO in your air.

With the cold winter months upon us and homes shut up tightly and furnaces on high to keep us warm – its time to make sure our carbon monoxide detectors are working and placed correctly to save you and your family in the event of an emergency.

Top five Carbon Monoxide detector placement “DO’s”:

1. On every level of your home. In order to ensure that your home has maximum protection, it’s important to have a CO detector on every floor.
2. Five feet from the ground. Carbon monoxide detectors can get the best reading of your home’s air when they are placed five feet from the ground.
3. Near every sleeping area. If your CO levels get too high during the nighttime, it’s important that detectors can be heard by everyone sleeping in your home. Place your detectors close enough to every sleeping area so that they can awaken everyone in the case of an emergency.
4. Near attached garages. Cars produce carbon monoxide any time they are running. If you have an attached garage, those gasses can quickly spread to the rest of your house. A CO detector near your attached garage will warn you if that becomes a problem.
5. Where the manufacturer recommends. Every model of carbon monoxide detector is tested according to manufacturer specifications. It’s important to take those specifications into account when you’re deciding where to place your detectors.