Carbon monoxide & explosive gas alarms.
If your home has any gas appliance, a fireplace, or an attached garage, you need carbon monoxide alarms. CO is invisible, has no smell, and is dangerous, so a smoke alarm alone does not cover it. Here is who needs CO protection, where it goes, and what the beeps mean.
Do you need them?
Yes, if you have a gas furnace, gas water heater, gas stove, fireplace, or an attached garage where a car can run. Any of those can produce carbon monoxide. Homes that are all-electric with no attached garage have a lower risk, but many owners still add CO protection for peace of mind.
Where CO alarms go
Put a CO alarm on every level and near the sleeping areas, so it can wake you. Unlike smoke, CO mixes through the air, so corner and dead-air rules matter less, but keep alarms a little away from the furnace or fireplace itself to avoid nuisance trips. Unlike smoke, CO doesn’t rise, so it’s okay to place CO alarms high or low in the room. If you’re using a combination smoke+CO alarm, all the normal smoke alarm placement rules apply. The placement is genuinely different from smoke alarms, which is why we treat it as its own plan.
What the beeps mean
Four beeps in a repeating pattern is the carbon monoxide warning. Treat it as real: get everyone outside to fresh air and call from outside. A single chirp, like a smoke alarm, usually means low battery or end of life.
Combo units and the 7-year clock
Combination smoke and CO alarms are convenient, but note they are replaced on a shorter schedule, about every 7 years, versus 10 for a smoke-only alarm.
Not sure if your home is covered for CO? We will check it and place alarms correctly, with the price in writing first.
Request a quote or see our pricing.
