Good morning, im hoping someone might have some knowledge of this subject. 

There is a room sealed boiler housed in a solid cupboard with a door within a bedroom. A carbon monoxide alarm is installed outside of the cupboard in the bedroom. The problem is, the manufacturer is saying the alarm must be installed on the ceiling or 150mm down from the ceiling on the wall. However the electrician is saying the alarm must be installed at sleeping level as it is a 'sleeping room'. They are having a stand off at the moment as the electrician has refused to move it due to 'not wanting to go to court'.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks.

I'm sure there are standards/guidance out there on this subject, but it seems logical to me that the monitor should be at a similar height to the breathing zone of the people, on the assumption that relative densities of gases usually have a more or less consistent effect on concentration at various heights. In some rooms, lounges for instance where there may be a gas fire, this can be difficult, as people stand, sit, crouch etc. However, in a bedroom, the position of people is predictable, i.e. lying down. I would put the monitor at a similar height in the room, that's what I've done in my house.

Send me the type and room dimentions and I will send you back a detector map..

The link to the booklet is not an authoritative interpretation of the law, but intended as a general guide. (Q&A booklet) See point 8 (page7/8) The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/464717/150929_SC_Explan_book_Annex_A_LandlordsTenants_REVISED.pdf

carbon monoxide alarms should be positioned at head height, either on a wall or shelf, approximately 1-3 metres away from a potential source of carbon monoxide

Originally Posted by: paul.skyrme

Originally Posted by: Allan Jones

carbon monoxide alarms should be positioned at head height, either on a wall or shelf, approximately 1-3 metres away from a potential source of carbon monoxide

I would strongly suggest that anyone check with the alarm OEM before they fit them, as alarms are designed to work in a specific manner with a specific set of circumstances in line with the product standard, and the installation guidance recognises this.

The above is not the guidance given by Aico for their alarms.

Hi Paul,,

Thank you for your help. Aico called me and talked me through where it needed to be situated, as you mentioned in an earlier post, it does need to be on the ceiling due to the CO being hotter than the air in the room.

Thanks again.

Originally Posted by: biker1

Not sure I agree with this on logical grounds, and it is not exactly what it said for the detectors we bought. If the assumption is that the CO will rise due to heat and relative density (which is only slightly less than air), it will take longer to reach the height of the ceiling, which might delay its detection, but then I suppose you could say the same thing about smoke.

The CO will rise as it will be mixed with the products of combustion, which will have more heat energy than the surrounding air, thus will rise, therefore taking the CO with them to the detector, the same as any smoke, which is products of combustion, is hot and rises, hence why one is advised to keep low in a fire because the smoke will take longer to get to the floor.

Also, if you, read, my posts, you will see that I advised that one must seek guidance from the detector OEM, as they all have subtly different modus operandi, whilst all in compliance with the product standard.

Simple physics proves that the Aico guidance is correct however, for a CO emitting appliance IN the room with the detector.

Aico are a very competent organisation, and, are well respected in the elecrical industry, by installers and others.

By the way, I have no connection with Aico, other than a satisfied user.

As one can see above, from the OP's response, their customer service is also very good..

Their offering could give one an "almost" full fire & CO detection system wirelessly linked to rival a full installed fire alarm system.

Certainly for ones home, and anywhere a full fire alarm system is not required, they have a very comprehensive offering.

I have their wireless CO detectors & smoke alarms in my home, installed as per their guidance, all wirelessly interlinked to a wireless central test & locate switch, which discerns the difference between a smoke or CO activation. 10 yr battery life, 10yr detector life, what more can you expect.

Edited by user 22 December 2016 13:42:44(UTC)  | Reason: Spelling, where's the spell checker gone!