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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.

@misc{iil_note_gz2sezpf,
  author = {{iinventedlight Library}},
  title = {{Carbon monoxide detectors: where to put them and how to stay safe}},
  howpublished = {iinventedlight Library},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-11-02},
  url = {https://iinventedlight.com/library/reference/us-gov/carbon-monoxide-detectors/},
  note = {Permanent ID iil:note:gz2sezpf. License: public-domain. Summary of https://www.cdc.gov/carbon-monoxide/about/index.html.},
}

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