Carbon monoxide detectors are an essential feature in every home, but they haven’t exactly been designed with an artistic flair. Of course, you’ll want your detector to be effective over anything else. That said, if you take pride in your home’s appearance, you aren’t going to want it to stand out like a sore thumb, right?
Seeing as you shouldn’t ever remove a carbon monoxide detector from your home, your only option will be to come up with some crafty interior design ideas that will help to hide it from site!
If you’re looking for clever interior ideas that won’t lead to you having to claim carbon monoxide poisoning compensation, then you’re in the right place! Keep reading below…
What Do Carbon Monoxide Detectors Do?
Carbon monoxide detectors are the most effective way of being able to detect carbon monoxide in the air, and will alert you to the presence of the gas in your home. The gas is usually harmless in an outdoor setting, but can be lethal if it’s contained within an enclosed space, such as your home.
Carbon monoxide can be very difficult to detect, mainly due to its lack of odour, which is why detectors are so important.
Are There Different Types of Carbon Monoxide Detector?
There are three types of carbon monoxide detectors you will likely have installed in your home. These are:
- Biomimetic Sensor: this type of alarm is set off by a colour-changing gel, which changes when it absorbs a certain level of carbon monoxide, setting off an alarm.
- Metal Oxide Semiconductor: the presence of carbon monoxide reduces the electrical resistance in a circuit, triggering an alarm.
- Electrochemical Sensor: changes in electrical currents in a chemical solution are detected by submerged electrodes, which triggers the alarm.
Where Are Carbon Monoxide Detectors Normally Mounted?
There is a myth that carbon monoxide detectors need to be installed lower on a wall, due to carbon monoxide being heavier than air. This isn’t true and, in fact, carbon monoxide is lighter than air, which means it’s distributed evenly around a room.
This means detectors can be mounted on walls, ceilings or any other location, as specified by the alarm’s instruction manual. The only thing that should be taken into consideration is that the alarm should be easily accessible, so it’s easy to maintain.
5 Ideas for Hiding Your Carbon Monoxide Detector in Your Home
Hiding your carbon monoxide detector from sight is easier than you might think! Let’s take a look at some simple ideas you can incorporate into your interior design:
1. Dangling Plants
If you have carbon monoxide detector that’s mounted high on your wall, you can always conceal it discretely by making the most of dangling plants, like ivy. You can position a hanging plant above the detector, so that it covers it and prevents it from standing out.
By doing this, you’ll only be able to see the detector when you’re close up and, importantly, it will still be able to work as intended, as it won’t be unnecessarily obstructed.
2. Lantern Light Fixture
For detectors that are ceiling mounted, your options will be a little more limited with regards to finding solutions that completely hide it from site without any obstructions. Thankfully, not all is lost.
Depending on the space you have available, and the relative position of the detector on the ceiling, you may be able to install a lantern light fixture that surrounds it. This will prevent anyone from being able to see the detector, and will also be easy to install or remove if you need to take a closer look at it.
3. Install a Detector That Matches Your Paint
Contrary to popular belief, not every carbon monoxide detector comes in the same colour. So, if you haven’t already installed a detector, or you’re in a position to replace the one you already have, it’s a good idea to find one that matches the paint you have on your wall or ceiling.
A white detector on a white background should blend in seamlessly, and certainly won’t look out of place.
4. Incorporate It into Your Wall or Ceiling Design
If you’re not looking to replace your carbon monoxide detector, you can always incorporate your existing one into your wall or ceiling design.
If you’re bored of living with blank walls, then why not spice things up with a bit of unique wall art? You can use a variety of different colours on your wall to create something that really stands out, with the small portion of wall surrounding the detector matching its colour. It may be a lot of work, but the results will really speak for themselves.
5. Fill Up an Interior Wall with Plenty of Different Features
You can’t just pull your detector off the wall and put it in a box to forget about. That means, while it’s on the wall, you’ll have to come up with a few clever ideas to draw peoples’ attention away from it.
If you haven’t already done so, it may be a good idea to fill your wall with a number of other striking features. This might include pieces of art, a stylish mounted clock, or a mirror – the last one might be an especially effective tactic for anyone that’s fond of themselves!
Are You Looking for Ways to Hide Your Carbon Monoxide Detector?
So, there you have it! Five simple ways to help hide your carbon monoxide detector that won’t prevent it from working effectively.
Have you got any more suggestions as to how you might hide one? Feel free to leave a comment below so we can keep the discussion going!
