All single-family homes in California with attached garages and fireplaces are supposed to have a carbon monoxide detector starting July 1 when a new California law takes effect.
Owners of apartment buildings have until Jan. 1, 2013, to comply with the law.
“Carbon monoxide is a silent killer, each year claiming the lives of an average of 480 people and sending more than 20,000 people to emergency rooms across the nation,” acting State Fire Marshal Tonya Hoover said in a news release.
The colorless, odorless gas is produced from heaters, fireplaces, furnaces, and many types of appliances and cooking devices. It's also produced when gas, oil, kerosene, wood or charcoal is burned.
CO detectors are easy to install and can be purchased at most stores that also sell smoke detectors, said Bill Peters, an information officer for Cal Fire.
But not just any detector will do.
“You must buy one that's approved by the state fire marshal's office,” Palm Desert director of buildings and safety Russell Grance said.
They have to be connected to the home's electrical wiring and also have a battery back-up. The exception is homes without attic access and then a battery-operated detector is OK, Grance said.
The fire marshal has a list of approved devices and installation requirements on its website, http://osfm.fire.ca.gov/.
Dave Callahan, co-owner of True Value Hardware in Palm Springs, said his store received a shipment of the approved detectors this week. They range in price from $30 to $45 he said.
“They're easy to install,” he said.
Some are dual smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and have a siren. You can pull them off and use them as a flashlight in an emergency, Callahan said.
Enforcement of the new law varies. For instance, when you buy a home in California, it must have a detector.
Although building departments will enforce the law, Grance said the cities don't have the money or staffing to send people door to door to see if property owners have complied.
“Our only way of enforcement is through building permits,” Grance said.
Permits for any home improvements costing $1,000 or more — whether interior or exterior — will not be granted unless a CO detector is in the home, he said.
The new law is especially making it difficult for roofers to get necessary permits, he said.
To help, Palm Desert has put a carbon monoxide detector verification form on its website that a homeowner can fill out and put on file with the city.
It doesn't cost anything to file the verification form, he said, and it allows snowbirds and others to have work done on their homes in their absence.
Southern California Gas Co. offers its customers a free inspections of all natural gas furnaces and home appliances to be sure they are safe, said Raul Gordillo, public relations manager for the utility.
“We recommend that our customers with natural gas have them checked at least once a year,” Gordillo said.
The utility's trained service technicians can't fix the appliances, but will tell the customers what repairs are needed, he said.
Appliance checks are a good way to make sure natural gases aren't escaping, Gordillo said.
"We believe that even with carbon monoxide alarms in place, regular natural gas appliance maintenance still is recommended. Inspection and routine maintenance are still the best defense against accidental carbon-monoxide poisoning from natural gas appliances," he said.
Do you have CO poisoning?
The most common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the Centers for Disease Control, are headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain and confusion.
High levels of CO inhalation can cause loss of consciousness and death. Unless suspected, CO poisoning can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms mimic other illnesses.
People who are sleeping or intoxicated can die from CO poisoning before ever experiencing symptoms.
Get the right one!
Find more information on CO poisoning prevention, and a list of approved detectors and installation requirements, at the California fire marshal's website, http://osfm.fire.ca.gov
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