Carbon Monoxide Detector Proper Placement

Sjm9911 wrote:

Boon Docker wrote:

Sjm9911 wrote:
Co mixes readily with air. The amount its lighter makes really no difference. You can place it high or low. Just not in a corner where a wall meets a celling or floor. And yea, they expire after like 8 years. This is why dual propane/co detecters are placed low to the floor. The main thing is to have one and to make sure it works.

What ever is producing the CO is also producing heat, which causes the CO to rise. Not a good idea to have the detector low to the floor.

In all fairness, im a Deputy Chief of a professional urban fire department for 25 years. What I stated was a fact and a professional opinion. CO dosen't nessassarly have to have heat associated with it. And its so slightly lighter then air, it dosen't matter. But it is mostly caused from uncomplete conbustion. If they didn't work close to the floor they wouldn't make a combo propane /CO unit. Or plug in units. Dont belive everything that pops up on Google. I atually do this for a living.

EPA website isn't posted by "Google", if EPA stated something, I would tend to believe it over what a 25 yr Deputy Chief of a fire department says.

The combo propane/Co detectors are a hybrid device. In order for that detector to detect unsafe levels of combustible gasses like propane it MUST be at floor level where Propane pools (propane is "heavier than air" and pools at the lowest point of your floor).

The floor level while it may work for CO, is in reality less than "ideal" and may or may not be quite as effective. Ideally you would what it at least the height of your bed or higher since that is where you will be when sleeping and living (unless of coarse you crawl or sleep on the floor).