Does Carbon Monoxide rise or fall?

Feb 11, 2009 11 Replies

I was just reading a sad news story about a couple who died in a camper from carbon monoxide, yet their small dog who was also in the trailer, survived. Here's the article:

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I'd suspect the dog would most likely have been on the floor. Does carbon Monoxide rise to the ceiling? I used to think it filled the whole room evenly, but now I wonder if this is not true.



Anyone know?



Thanks



LM


Hi, Look at combo smoke detector/CO detectors, well do you mount iyt on the floor? I guess NOT. Install it with smoke detector. My 2 storey house has combo smoke detector(ionization and photo)/CO detector on every floor starting in the basement.

Don't just blindly put the CO detectors next to smoke detectors. It is important to follow the manufacturer's suggested mounting height which is not the same as smokes.

This is an old study and a really crappy pdf but;

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After reading that ..... the anwser to the question ...... "Where do I mount CO detectors, on the ceiling, wall or near the floor" ........... remains the same ......

Yes.

I have a combination CO-plus-flammable-gas (not smoke) detector. Its instructions were to mount high in rooms where natural gas is being used, low if propane is being used (which should be news to nobody in this group). It says that CO mixes uniformly in air and that CO detection is equal no matter the mounting height.

Chip C Toronto

Agree with the placement of the unit

But was told NOT to buy the combo units

And do not buy anything but a digital readout. If threshold level is 500, I want to know if it is at 450. Screamer units only go off if there is a lot of CO. I want to know if there is, say, a level that is 30% of safe, and I want to find out why that lower level is even present.

imo, ymmv, and all that crap

Steve

Combo units are a compromise. They're better than nothing at all, but fall short of the standards I've set in protecting my own family. If I won't use them in my own home, it stands to reason I wouldn't use them in someone elses.

I bought the totally battery operated LCD readout model

I wanted a unit that I COULD use in a van or RV if wanting to...hence the totally batt operated unit

What you think?

Agreed. I don't know if anyone else already explained the drawbacks of combined smoke and CO detectors but I'll put in my $0.02 on the subject. There is a different response protocol for smoke from CO detection. If a smoke detector goes off in a private residence the usual response is to make sure the family is safe, then check for an actual fire. If no fire is detected it's probably safe to go back inside. If a CO detector goes off the family needs to exit the premises immediately and **stay out** until the fire department clears the premises. Unlike fire, CO cannot be detected by human senses. It's colorless and odorless, yet can be lethal even at low doses if exposure continues over time.

There is (or at least there should be) a different protocol for a monitored system as well. When we received fire alarm signals on private residences we called the premises to notify the residents of the alarm. If no one answered we would send the fire department. For CO we called the department first. Then we would call the premises. We would not cancel the FD even if the resident assured us they were OK. Twice this resulted in lived being saved when clients didn't realize there was a problem.

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