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dstraate
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# Posted: 30 Jan 2012 03:33pm
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Hello all, I was wondering where to put my smoke/CO1 detector. My concern is that if I put it in the base level, it might not pick up issues in the loft. However, I don't want to go up to the loft to turn it off if the slightest breath of smoke will set it off. I'm thinking a happy medium would be on the face of my loft. A central location equidistant from my base level and loft. Perhaps with a cabin so small, I'm being too picky.
Thanks
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SE Ohio
Member
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# Posted: 30 Jan 2012 04:18pm
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My small cabin smoke detector goes off if I get a little bit of smoke in the cabin (stove door open to re-light). For this reason I have a separate CO detector.
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PA_Bound
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# Posted: 30 Jan 2012 05:49pm - Edited by: PA_Bound
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I like two seperate detectors. Typically a smoke detector in an open space should be mounted high on the wall or on the ceiling. Smoke rises, rolls across the ceiling as it starts to build, then begins to bank down. If the smoke detector is mounted too low, especially in a room with an open loft, a fire could get a pretty good start before it alarms. I also don't like it too close to sources of controlled fire, else it goes off every time you burn the toast, open an oven door or throw another log in the wood stove.
With CO detectors, I like mine closer to breathing air height and usually near sources of CO. CO mixes well with air, so doesn't really rise or fall like other gases.
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larry
Member
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# Posted: 30 Jan 2012 08:09pm
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i also have a seperate co detector and thankful for it. the wife and i were cooking with are new, not properly adjusted for propane, stove. when we went outside, leaving a sleeping friend behind, the alarm sounded. i have no doubt he would have been in trouble if not for the alarm.
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Bzzzzzt
Member
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# Posted: 30 Jan 2012 08:58pm
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Carbon Monoxide is heavier than air and therefore sinks. The detector should be placed low. If you detect it before it fills the room you will live but if you have it high it might miss the CO and you might have the opposite outcome.
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MtnDon
Member
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# Posted: 30 Jan 2012 09:23pm
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Sorry, but no on the CO
The molecular weight of air is 28.966
The molecular weight of CO is 28.011
So CO is really just a little lighter than air.
Click for Source:
CO is also very "mixable" in air, somewhat the same as Nitrogen (N2, 28.0134) and Oxygen (O2, 31.9988) the two largest components of air, are. They don't separate in a closed room. So the CO can be found at any level in the room.
The proper position for a CO detector is the ceiling or at least 6 feet from the floor level.
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Bzzzzzt
Member
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# Posted: 30 Jan 2012 09:27pm
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I'm no expert, just repeating what the instructions of the last CO detector I bought said. It said the monitor should be placed within a foot of the floor. I, however, will plead ignorance in this area as it's not my field of expertise.
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MtnDon
Member
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# Posted: 30 Jan 2012 10:13pm
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Most CO detector manuals don't really get into placement very well from the few I've installed. I did a lot of research when I went to install the one in the cabin and the above is what I found, what convinced me to simply place it at the level of the fridge top. Propane is definitely a heavy gas and those detectors should be mounted low for certain.
One other thing to keep in mind is that items that produce CO do it by combustion. Warm/hot air rises, so it gets a boost up from that.
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JD
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# Posted: 21 Dec 2012 12:36am
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I decided to place my co1 detector near the level of my head when I sleep and in close proximity, after all, the immediate space around my head is the space I am concerned about. I bought a digital co1 detector. This allows me to test it occasionally by holding up to my car's exhaust pipe. I check that the digital ppm reading is reasonably accurate and that the alarm sounds at the appropriate levels and time. If the detector reads 0 when I go to sleep, I will most likely not have a problem but if it is showing co1, I had better see what the problem is before I go to bed.
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toyota_mdt_tech
Member
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# Posted: 21 Dec 2012 09:06am - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
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New code says in front of any and all bedroom door openings. I have mine (CO/Smoke combo unit) centrally located, just below the ceiling, but i have no loft. Try it up near the loft, if it goes off, ,move it till you get it dialed in.
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Anonymous
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# Posted: 21 Dec 2012 01:05pm
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Just a thought...your manual that comes with your detector should probably give you instructions on how to properly mount/install it?
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Sustainusfarm
Member
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# Posted: 21 Dec 2012 05:11pm
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As a REALTOR..they tell us they should be mounted outside of bedroom doors and on the ceiling on each floor of the home...Reason: In the winter the heat from the furnace mixes the air and because it is warm rises to the ceiling. The heating season is the main time for CO poisoning in cold climates.
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