Proper mounting location for CO & Propane detectors?

The gas detector location depends upon the gas used in the structure. Natural gas is (or so I have been led to believe) lighter than ambient room air so the detector in should be head height or better. Propane is heavier than air so the detector should be pillow height or lower.

CO detectors on the other hand are trickier. I have been told that CO weighs about the same as room air - being only slightly heavier. But, since CO is the product of combustion it will initially rise so the detectors should be placed head height or better. Pillow height is a popular location in sleeping areas while you would want to put them higher in the room (probably the furnace room) where CO production is likely to take place.

All that being said, the stand alone types sold in the hardware store are made to plug into regular 110VAC wall outlets which sit about a foot off the floor and I haven't heard of any problems with this placement.

Keep in mind I am no expert on these gases so take my views with a grain of salt. I know only what I have been told by a couple guys in the business.

That certainly is a lot of words to basically say, "I don't know for sure."

Good Luck

find one online and look at the manufacturer recommendations.

Macurco specs on the Combustible Gas detectors states that for Natural Gas location is to be 1 foot from the ceiling. For Propane Gas the location is to be 1 foot from the floor.

Now since 3M has purchased Macurco and have erased the original web page with easy to access product information it is next to impossible to find the docs on the CO detectors. But as I remember they spec the height of the CO Detector to be at 5 feet above the floor.

As already stated don't take my word for it read the specs.

Have a good day.

Les

"I don't know."

Thank you.

-- YOP...

Propane detector, mounted low. Natural gas, mounted high.

You will never get anyone to agree on where to mount a CO detector because there is no "right" place. It depends on too many factors as to where the CO is going to wind up. They are activated at only a few parts per million level so I mount mine in the bedrooms at bed heights. In living areas, at 5 feet off the floor ..... simply because it makes sense.

In my geographical area, electricians are required to mount them as part of the building code. I've seen them mounted on the ceiling, on the wall about a foot from the ceiling, at about 5 feet from the floor and at electrical wall outlet level. So electricians don't know where to mount them and obviously, neither do the inspectors .... because they all pass inspection.

Propane detector should be mounted low. Natural gas detector mounted high. CO detectors can be mounted just about any height because you can't predict it's source or where it's going to prove to be lethal.

In my house I mounted the detectors at bed level in the bedrooms and at 4 to 5 feet from the floor, in the living areas ...... simply because it makes sense.

In my geographical area, electricians are required by the building code to install CO detectors in new residential construction. I've seen them mounted on the ceiling, on the wall, just below the ceiling, at about 5 feet from the floor and at electrical wall outlet level. So, they don't know where to mount them and obvioulsy, electrical inspectors don't have a clue either.

I don't offer the installation of CO detectors to my clients, precisely because of the uncertanty and also, I think that CO dectectors only need to give local notification, and not to central station. I advise my client to obtain CO detectors from their local retail hardware supplier.