Where Should You Put Carbon Monoxide Detectors in a Home?
Put a carbon monoxide alarm on every level of your home and outside each sleeping area. That is the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's recommendation, and it also advises keeping alarms out of kitchens, away from spots directly above fuel-burning appliances, and away from heating vents or places where furniture or drapes could cover them.
Pennsylvania's own law on this is narrower than many homeowners assume. The Carbon Monoxide Alarm Standards Act (Act 121 of 2013) requires a seller of a one- or two-family home to disclose information about carbon monoxide detectors on the property disclosure statement. The act's installation requirement applies to apartments in multifamily dwellings that use a fossil fuel-burning heater or appliance, a fireplace, or an attached garage. In other words, for an owner-occupied single-family house, the state law is about disclosure at sale, and the safety case for alarms rests on CPSC guidance and common sense. This post covers where alarms go, where they should not go, what the Pennsylvania law says, and how to keep them working.
What Is a Carbon Monoxide Detector and Why Does It Matter?
A carbon monoxide alarm is a device that sounds when it senses a buildup of CO, a gas you cannot see or smell. The CPSC describes CO as colorless and odorless, produced by the incomplete burning of fuels such as natural gas, oil, propane, kerosene, wood, and charcoal.
That covers a lot of equipment in a typical South Hills home: gas furnaces, boilers, gas water heaters, fireplaces, gas ranges, and cars in an attached garage. The CPSC reports that more than 200 people in the United States die each year from CO produced by non-automotive consumer products, and that early symptoms (headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness) are easy to mistake for the flu.
Where Should Carbon Monoxide Alarms Go?
The CPSC's placement guidance is short and specific:
On every level of the home
Outside sleeping areas, so the alarm can wake people who are asleep
Plugged into an outlet or mounted high on a wall, following the manufacturer's instructions
Interconnected where possible, so when one alarm sounds, they all sound
The agency recommends battery-operated alarms or alarms with battery backup, and says hard-wired or plug-in units should have a backup battery too. Any alarm you buy should meet the UL 2034 standard, which is also the standard Pennsylvania's act names for an approved alarm.
What About Basements?
The CPSC's CO alarm page says alarms should not be installed in attics or basements unless there is a sleeping area there. If someone sleeps in a finished basement, it needs an alarm. Either way, the manufacturer's instructions for your specific alarm should guide final placement.
Where Should You Not Put a Carbon Monoxide Detector?
Some spots work against an alarm. The CPSC advises against installing one in:
Kitchens
Spots directly above fuel-burning appliances
Locations near heating vents
Places where furniture or draperies can cover the alarm
What Does Pennsylvania Law Require?
Pennsylvania's Carbon Monoxide Alarm Standards Act, dated December 18, 2013, sets out a few distinct duties. This is a general summary, not legal advice, so check with your real estate agent, attorney, or municipality for your situation.
Selling a house: Under Section 4(a), the seller of a residential building must disclose information about the installation of carbon monoxide detectors on the property disclosure statement. The act defines a residential building as detached one- and two-family dwellings and multiple single-family dwellings no more than three stories tall.
Apartments: Section 4(b) requires each apartment in a multifamily dwelling that uses a fossil fuel-burning heater or appliance, a fireplace, or an attached garage to have an operational, approved carbon monoxide alarm installed near the bedrooms and the fuel-burning heater or fireplace.
Landlords and tenants: The owner provides and installs the alarm, and the occupant keeps it in good repair, tests it, replaces batteries, and reports problems to the owner.
Penalty: Willful failure to install or maintain a required alarm is a summary offense with a fine of up to $50.
If you are building or renovating, construction permits are handled by your borough or township, so ask your municipal office whether alarms are part of the inspection.
How Do You Test and Maintain a CO Alarm?
The CPSC recommends testing CO and smoke alarms monthly and replacing batteries once a year. It also points out a detail many people miss: pressing the test button checks the circuitry, not the accuracy of the sensor.
CO alarms also wear out. The CPSC says every alarm has a recommended replacement age listed in its product literature, and newer alarms give an end-of-life signal when it is time to replace them. Write the install date on the back of each alarm so you know when that date is coming.
What Should You Do When a CO Alarm Goes Off?
The CPSC's instructions are clear. Do not try to find the source.
Move everyone outside to fresh air right away.
Call 911, the fire department, or emergency services.
Count heads to make sure everyone is out.
Stay out until emergency responders say it is safe to go back in.
If the cause turns out to be a malfunctioning appliance, the CPSC says not to use it again until trained personnel have serviced it. If the alarm goes off again within 24 hours, repeat the steps and have a qualified technician inspect every fuel-burning appliance in the house.
Fuel-burning equipment in older South Hills homes deserves regular attention. Our posts on what Pittsburgh homeowners should know about boilers, the signs your furnace is failing, and a water heater pilot light that keeps going out cover warning signs worth knowing.
FAQ
How many carbon monoxide detectors does a house need?
At least one on every level and outside each sleeping area, per the CPSC. A two-story house with bedrooms on the second floor usually needs more than one.
Does Pennsylvania require CO detectors in single-family homes?
Act 121 of 2013 requires sellers of one- and two-family homes to disclose CO detector information on the property disclosure statement. Its installation requirement applies to apartments in multifamily dwellings with fuel-burning appliances, fireplaces, or attached garages. Ask your municipality about any local rules or permit requirements.
What height should a CO detector be mounted?
Follow the manufacturer's instructions. The CPSC says alarms can go in a plug-in receptacle or high on a wall.
Can I use a combination smoke and CO alarm?
Yes. The CPSC notes combination smoke and CO alarms are available. Smoke alarms have their own placement guidance, including inside each bedroom.
How long do carbon monoxide detectors last?
Check the product literature for your alarm's recommended replacement age. Newer models give an end-of-life signal.
Should I have my furnace inspected even if I have CO alarms?
Yes. The CPSC says an alarm adds protection but is no substitute for proper use and upkeep, and it recommends professional inspection and service of the heating system every year, including the chimney and flue.
Heating and Water Heater Service in Bethel Park
All Pro Plumbing Heating & Cooling services the fuel-burning equipment that makes CO alarms necessary: gas and electric furnaces, heating systems, and tank and tankless water heaters. The company was founded in 2006 by John Oakes, a Registered Master Plumber, and now works from its own office in Bethel Park with a team of 10 local residents. Every job is quoted upfront, and 24/7 emergency service is available across Allegheny County, Washington County, and the South Hills. See heating maintenance and repair and water heater repair and replacement.
Visit All Pro Plumbing or call 412-595-8204 today. Contact us for more information.
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