---
title: "Carbon monoxide detectors: where to put them and how to stay safe"
license: public-domain
license_url: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/
source: https://www.cdc.gov/carbon-monoxide/about/index.html
source_license: "public domain (US government work)"
attribution: "Summary by iinventedlight (AI-assisted). Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, \"Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning Basics\" (public domain (US government work))."
condensed_by: "iinventedlight (Grok Bot, AI-assisted)"
fact_checked: 2026-11-02
date: 
status: reviewed
reviewed_on: 2026-11-02
category: how-to
checked_on: 2026-11-02
license_url: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/
source: https://www.cdc.gov/carbon-monoxide/about/index.html
source_license: "public domain (US government work)"
license_note: "Every fact below restates US government public-domain pages listed under sources. This summary is also offered as public domain."
attribution: "Summary by iinventedlight (AI-assisted). Courtesy of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Public domain (US government work); use does not imply endorsement by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."
condensed_by: "iinventedlight (Grok Bot, AI-assisted)"
fact_checked: 2026-11-02
date: 2026-11-02
category: how-to
tags: how-to, home-safety, carbon-monoxide
checked_on: 2026-11-02
sources:
  - id: S1
    title: "Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning Basics"
    publisher: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
    url: https://www.cdc.gov/carbon-monoxide/about/index.html
    accessed: 2026-11-02
    license: "public domain (US government work)"
  - id: S2
    title: "Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention"
    publisher: US Fire Administration (FEMA)
    url: https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/life-safety-hazards/carbon-monoxide/
    accessed: 2026-11-02
    license: "public domain (US government work)"
---
# Carbon monoxide detectors: where to put them and how to stay safe

# Carbon monoxide detectors: where to put them and how to stay safe

## Summary
Put battery-operated or battery-backup CO detectors near every sleeping area, check batteries when clocks change in spring and fall, and replace detectors per the maker or about every 5 years. Never run generators, grills or cars indoors.

> **Not medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.**

*Draft. License: public domain (US government work). Sources: [S1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning Basics"; [S2] US Fire Administration (FEMA), "Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention".*

## Facts
- id: F1
  claim: Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that people cannot detect with their senses.
  confidence: high
  date: 2026-11-02
  sources: [S1, S2]
  license: public domain (US government work)
  checked_on: 2026-11-02
- id: F2
  claim: Common symptoms are headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain and confusion, often described as flu-like; people who are asleep or intoxicated can die before noticing symptoms.
  confidence: medium
  date: 2026-11-02
  sources: [S1]
  license: public domain (US government work)
  checked_on: 2026-11-02
- id: F3
  claim: CDC says more than 400 people in the US die each year from unintentional CO poisoning not linked to fires.
  confidence: medium
  date: 2026-11-02
  sources: [S1]
  license: public domain (US government work)
  checked_on: 2026-11-02
  note: USFA cites a CPSC figure of more than 150 deaths a year for a narrower category; see Disagreements.
- id: F4
  claim: Install battery-operated or battery-backup CO detectors near every sleeping area.
  confidence: high
  date: 2026-11-02
  sources: [S1, S2]
  license: public domain (US government work)
  checked_on: 2026-11-02
- id: F5
  claim: Check detector batteries each spring and fall when clocks change, and replace the detector per manufacturer instructions or every 5 years.
  confidence: medium
  date: 2026-11-02
  sources: [S1]
  license: public domain (US government work)
  checked_on: 2026-11-02
- id: F6
  claim: Have furnaces, water heaters and other fuel-burning appliances serviced by a qualified technician every year.
  confidence: medium
  date: 2026-11-02
  sources: [S1]
  license: public domain (US government work)
  checked_on: 2026-11-02
- id: F7
  claim: Run portable generators only outdoors, more than 20 feet from windows, doors and vents, never in a home or garage even with doors open.
  confidence: medium
  date: 2026-11-02
  sources: [S1]
  license: public domain (US government work)
  checked_on: 2026-11-02
- id: F8
  claim: Never burn charcoal indoors, never heat a home with a gas oven, and never run a vehicle in an attached garage.
  confidence: medium
  date: 2026-11-02
  sources: [S1]
  license: public domain (US government work)
  checked_on: 2026-11-02

## Disagreements
CDC (S1) states more than 400 annual deaths from unintentional non-fire CO poisoning; USFA (S2) cites a CPSC figure of more than 150 annual deaths, which covers consumer-product-related cases only. Use CDC for the overall figure.