CO Story -- Stay safe everyone

Dtaylor wrote:

Fresno Tundra Driver wrote:
Good Advice! Question(maybe I should know this but I don't)Are all LP gas detectors also CO detectors? I assumed my LP gas detector only detected propane.

An LP gas detector should be mounted as low as possible since LP gas is heavier than air. (sinks to lower levels)
A carbon MONOXIDE detector should be mounted at ceiling level since it is lighter than air, therefore rising to the upper levels.
Smoke detector should be mounted at ceiling level since the products of combustion are lighter than air.

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/specific-gravities-gases-d_334.html

From First alert place it at any level

From Homesafe third paragraph from webpage below.

When considering where to place a carbon monoxide detector, keep in mind that although carbon monoxide is roughly the same weight as air (carbon monoxide's specific gravity is 0.9657, as stated by the EPA; the National Resource Council lists the specific gravity of air as one), it may be contained in warm air coming from combustion appliances such as home heating equipment. If this is the case, carbon monoxide will rise with the warmer air

Then some sites say not to mount on ceiling.

From Getting the right height

The specific gravity of Carbon Monoxide is 0.9657 (with normal air being 1.0), this means that it will float up towards the ceiling because it is lighter than regular air. However, when a build up of dangerous levels of CO gas is taking place, this is nearly always due to a heat source that is not burning its fuel correctly (motor vehicle exhaust fumes are an exception). This heated air can form a layer near your ceiling which can prevent the Carbon Monoxide from reaching a ceiling detector.


From usinspect.com Mount wall or ceiling.

That was the first four hits from a google search "co detector placement"

Personally I mount mine about 3 - 4 feet off the floor.