Carbon Monoxide Safety
Last verified: September 2026
Everything you actually need to know, in plain English - no jargon, no rabbit holes. If you'd rather skip the reading and just have someone help, my number is (330) 200-8042.
Carbon Monoxide Safety
Every generator that burns gasoline or propane gives off carbon monoxide — a gas you cannot see, smell, or taste, and the one real danger of running a generator. The good news is that it is completely avoidable with a few simple habits: run the generator outside only, keep it well away from the house with the exhaust pointed away, and put working carbon-monoxide alarms inside. Here's the plain-English version, and there's a printable, 29-page guide up top if you'd like the full walk-through — it's the one safety guide worth reading twice.
Common Questions
1 Why is running it in the garage dangerous if the door is open?
A generator's engine gives off carbon monoxide — an invisible, odorless gas — and a garage is an enclosed space even with the door up. The fumes build up faster than an open door can clear them, then seep through the wall into the house. An open door or window is not fresh air. The only safe place is outdoors, in genuine open air.
2 How far from the house does it need to be?
At least 20 feet, with the exhaust pointed away from every door, window, and vent. That distance lets the fumes spread out and thin down into the open air before they can reach the house. Farther is better; treat 20 feet as the minimum, not a target to shave down. Mind your neighbors' windows too if you're in town.
3 What is a carbon-monoxide shutoff, and should I get one?
Many newer generators have a built-in sensor that shuts the engine off if carbon monoxide builds up nearby — usually built to a safety standard called PGMA G300 or UL 2201. Safety experts estimate units like these would prevent the large majority of generator CO deaths, so yes, it's well worth having. But treat it as a seatbelt, not a free pass: you still run the unit outside and well away, every time.
4 Where should carbon-monoxide alarms go?
On every level of the home and near the bedrooms, since the most dangerous time is while everyone's asleep. Use alarms with a battery backup so they still work during the outage, when the generator is running. Test them before storm season, keep fresh batteries in them, and replace the whole alarm by the date printed on the back — the sensor doesn't last forever.
5 What do I do if the alarm sounds or someone feels sick?
Get everyone outside to fresh air first — people and pets, right away. Don't stop to open windows or hunt for the cause; that wastes time and keeps you in the bad air. Once you're outside and everyone's accounted for, call 911 and stay out until the fire department says it's safe. Fresh air first, every time.
6 It's storming — can I run it under a tarp or in the garage just this once?
No — and this is the most important 'just this once' to resist. A tarp traps the exhaust right around the machine (and can start a fire), and a garage is unsafe even with the door open. Instead, use a proper open, vented running cover made to shield the unit while letting the fumes escape. The weather is a reason for the right cover, never a reason to bring it closer or indoors.
Want a Hand With Yours?
Picking a generator, setting it up, and learning to run it safely is one of my most-requested visits. I bring the patience and the know-how - you keep your seat. We'll match a unit to your home, set it up right, walk through starting it and staying safe from carbon monoxide, and get your internet, TV, and devices happily back on. $99 flat, and every visit is 30-day come-back-free. (330) 200-8042.
Would you rather I just do this for you?
No shame in it — plenty of folks would rather hand it off, and that's what I'm here for. I'll come to your home, set it up right, and make sure it's working before I leave. Flat $99 per visit — no jargon, no upsell, and every visit is 30-day come-back-free.
Not a hardware job? I can often fix it remotely for $49 — a secure screen-share, up to 2 hours, that you watch the whole time and can end whenever (included free for $39/mo Support Plan members, and it counts toward the $99 if it turns out I need to come out).