Now’s a great time to invest in carbon monoxide detectors—it’s the safe thing to do, and it’s required by city code
As you get your home ready for the chilly days ahead, don’t forget to check your carbon monoxide detectors. Since carbon monoxide can’t be smelled, seen, or heard, a carbon monoxide alarm is the only way to detect and alert you to this deadly poison that causes 1,500 accidental deaths and more than 10,000 injuries each year.
If carbon monoxide detectors aren’t currently installed in your residence or commercial property, now’s a perfect time to do so for two reasons:
First, carbon monoxide is produced when fuels such as natural gas, propane, heating oil, charcoal, wood and more are burned without sufficient air. We use more of these fuels—and therefore are potentially at greater risk of exposure to carbon monoxide—during the winter.
Second, last April, the Austin City Council adopted the 2015 International Property Maintenance Code, making installation and maintenance of carbon monoxide alarms a requirement for any residential or commercial property that uses fuel or gas, including:
- Gas water heaters, heaters, stoves, or dryers
- Fireplaces
- A connected garage (i.e., there is a door leading to the garage from the kitchen or utility room) Â
If your home is equipped with any of the items above, then one or more CO detectors is now a requirement per city code. So how many detectors do you need, and where should they be installed? According to the City of Austin, “A CO detector must be installed near a bedroom if there is anything in your home that uses fuel or gas, as well as inside the bedroom if the room has or connects to a room that has fuel or gas.
The Austin Fire Department advises against installing CO detectors near air vents or fans, instead recommending that they be placed in the center of the room where they will most effectively measure the room’s atmosphere—as well as about 15 feet away from your home’s heat source(s). They do not need to be wired in your home unless it was originally built to accommodate a wired system or you are already completing major renovations. Otherwise, battery-powered detectors are sufficient to meet the City’s requirements.
You may also choose to install a combined smoke/CO detector. For more information on the three different types of CO detectors you can choose from and to read additional AFD safety tips, visit the Austin Fire Department web page on carbon monoxide safety.
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