California State Law Makes Home Carbon Monoxide Detectors Mandatory

As per the State Senate Bill 183, which has become a law in California (state Health & Safety Code § 13260-13263) from 1st July onwards, most homes in Piedmont and all through the state would need to install Carbon Monoxide (CO) detectors.

The American Medical Association has revealed that CO was the main reason for accidental poisoning deaths in the US. CO can neither be seen nor be smelt by a person. However, high levels of CO could kill a person within minutes and extended exposure to the gas may result in amnesia, headaches, Parkinson’s disease and psychosis.

Whenever any fuel such as wood, gas, oil, charcoal and kerosene is burnt, CO is produced. According to experts, if every home is equipped with a CO detector it would reduce accident-related expenses by 93%. These detectors would offer a low-cost and highly effective protection against CO poisoning. This new law would be applicable to single family homes in California that use fossil burning fuels or have an attached garage or a fireplace. Only those people who live in all electric homes are exempt from the law. The law also states that other properties such as hotels and apartments must also equip themselves with CO detectors by January 1st, 2013.

The CO detector must be installed in a proper manner and should comply with the building standards in new constructions. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has recommended that CO detectors should be positioned close to each bedroom within 10 ft so that they could wake up the person even in sleep. More detectors should be kept on every level of a house and also in any attached garage for providing additional protection against CO.

The CPSC also suggests that these detectors should not be installed near heating vents or above burning appliances, in kitchens, or in places which would be covered by draperies or furniture. It should also not be kept near humid areas of a home such as bathrooms. The CO detectors can be installed high on the wall or into a plug in receptacle with a battery backup.