Carbon monoxide detectors

Where to put a carbon monoxide detector

When placing and using an alarm in the home it’s best to follow the instructions that were supplied with the alarm. The following guidelines may also help:

• Place alarms in rooms with fuel burning appliances such as boilers in kitchens and fires in the lounge
• Never place CO alarms on the ceiling. If you want to fix the alarm to a wall then position it at head height. Alarms do not need to be fixed to a wall and they can be placed on a shelf, bookcase, or table instead
• If you have a portable battery alarm you should place this in the room where you spend most of your time such as a lounge or bedroom
  Ensure you test your CO alarm regularly with the test button following manufacturer’s instructions. Replace the batteries annually or when the low battery signal sounds
• Never place the alarm in a cupboard, behind furniture, near an outside door or by ventilation such as extractor fans or cooker hoods
• Never place alarms directly next to fires, boilers, heaters or cookers. The alarm should be at least one metre away from any of these appliances
• Do not place an alarm in areas or near sources of high condensation and steam such as near kettles, showers or cooker tops

Did you know…

As part of our partnership with Southern Gas Network (SGN) we offer free installation of CO detectors during our Safe and Wells (home fire safety visits) Safe and Well for those who are eligible and depending on availability.

SGN’s dedicated carbon monoxide information.