Generator Safety: How to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

• Never run a generator inside your home or garage. CDC says this applies even if doors and windows are open. That includes basements, crawlspaces and sheds.
• Point the exhaust away from your home and your neighbors' homes.
• Keep it away from windows, doors, vents and air intakes, including ones that are closed.
• Protect it from rain with a canopy designed for generators, not by moving it into an enclosed space.
• Pick and mark the spot before storm season so you're not deciding in the dark.

Ready.gov advises installing carbon monoxide detectors with battery backup in central locations on every level of your home. CPSC recommends battery-operated CO alarms or plug-in alarms with battery backup (a plug-in alarm without a battery is useless in an outage), and notes that interconnected alarms are best, because when one sounds, they all sound.

• Put alarms on every level and outside sleeping areas.
• Test them monthly and replace batteries per the manufacturer.
• Check the alarm's end-of-life date; CO sensors wear out.

CDC lists headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain and confusion as common symptoms. People who are asleep or have been drinking can die before they notice any symptoms.

Plugging a generator into a wall outlet to power the house, sometimes with a "suicide cord", is called backfeeding. CPSC warns against it: power can flow back into utility lines and electrocute line workers and neighbors, and it can damage your wiring and start fires.

Safe options: run heavy-duty outdoor extension cords from the generator to individual appliances, or have a licensed electrician install a transfer switch or interlock kit. FEMA advises using a qualified electrician to install the appropriate equipment. Details in transfer switch and interlock basics.

• Turn the generator off and let it cool before refueling. Fuel spilled on a hot engine can ignite.
• Store gasoline in approved containers, outside living areas, away from the generator and any flame.
• Store propane cylinders outdoors, upright, and never indoors or in a basement.
• Keep a fire extinguisher rated for fuel fires nearby.
• Follow your generator manual for fuel stabilizer, oil and maintenance.

• Use outdoor-rated, heavy-gauge extension cords sized for the load, and inspect them for damage.
• Keep the generator dry and operate it on a dry surface; don't touch it with wet hands.
• Don't overload it: add up running and starting watts first. Our sizing quiz does this for you.

CPSC's most recent generator warning (December 2025) was issued ahead of winter storms, when people are cold, tired and tempted to cut corners. A few habits help:

• Set up the generator in daylight, before the storm peaks, rather than in the dark during it.
• Don't move it closer to the house to keep it out of snow or rain. Use a generator cover or tent made for the purpose and keep it 20+ ft away.
• Clear snow away from the generator's air intake and exhaust, and from your home's own vents.
• Don't run it unattended overnight if you can avoid it; a power station can carry quiet overnight loads.
• Check on neighbors who are running generators, especially older adults, and make sure their CO alarms work.

Many current models include automatic CO shutoff. Champion's CO Shield, Westinghouse's CO sensor, Generac's COsense and Honda's CO-MINDER are examples in our dual-fuel generator guide. These features shut the engine down when CO builds up around the generator. They are a backup, not a substitute for placement rules and CO alarms in the home.

If you can't meet the 20-foot rule (in an apartment, condo or tight lot), a battery power station makes no exhaust and can be used indoors.

1. 01Generator spot chosen: outdoors, 20+ ft from the house, exhaust pointed away.
2. 02CO alarms with battery backup on every level, tested this month.
3. 03Heavy-duty outdoor cords on hand, or transfer switch/interlock installed by a licensed electrician.
4. 04Fuel stored safely; fire extinguisher nearby.
5. 05Everyone in the home knows CO symptoms and to get outside and call 911.