Each month our natural gas supplier sends an email newsletter. This month, with winter approaching, they are offering information on Carbon Monoxide (CO) safety. They warn malfunctioning heating units, blocked chimneys and other winter heating appliances, can cause carbon monoxide to build to a dangerous, even deadly level. They recommend installing carbon monoxide detectors on each floor with attention to sleeping areas. That is a great reminder to all who are customers of our supplier. However…

They blew it in a somewhat risky area. The photo they display shows a technician installing a detector on the ceiling. This is not the proper location to install carbon monoxide detectors. Only smoke detectors should be installed on the ceiling since, everyone knows, smoke rises. But what they are not letting us know is carbon monoxide will mix with air so it may never reach the ceiling. That translates to this: if the alarm goes off in your sleeping areas with the detector located on the ceiling no one will theoretically ever hear it because everyone would either be unconscious or already dead.

Recommendations suggest at least 6 inches below the ceiling and at least 12 inches from walls. This keeps your detector out of ‘the dead zone’ where air typically becomes trapped and unmoving. Another recommended height is about waist level, about the same height that you sleep. Also it is recommended the detectors be placed outside sleeping rooms before the CO can enter the area. Something else to be aware of – ceiling fans. Will the operation of the fan interfere with the proper detection of the CO gas?

There are cost effective CO detectors available at your local Home Center that operate from battery or those that plug into wall outlets with a battery as backup in the event of power loss. A word of caution: When choosing a detector it’s recommended to stay away from those Combination Smoke and Carbon Monoxide detectors being sold everywhere. They may seem easier seeing you only need to install one unit but again, if you mount it on the ceiling it will detect smoke as intended but won’t do well with CO. But if you mount it low, say 36 to 60 inches above the floor, it will operate perfectly as a CO detector but will fail with smoke.

If you are worried about cost, you can choose a separate battery operated CO detector and a separate battery operated smoke detector and install them in the proper locations. The local DIY Home Center sells economy versions of CO detectors that can be had for around $19.99 (includes batteries) and can go up in cost depending on features, like talking detectors, flashing beacon and so forth. Same goes for smoke detectors. A 9 volt battery operated smoke detector can be had for under $5 and includes the battery.

The CO detector misconception of mounting on the ceiling is a risky profit ploy. Be informed and stay away from the misleading marketing. Your safety, and your family’s safety, is most important.