Starting July 1, new legislation will go into effect requiring homeowners to install carbon monoxide detectors in every California home, a move that California Department of Fire and Forestry Protection officials say will save lives.
“Carbon monoxide is a silent killer, each year claiming the lives of an average of 480 people,” said Acting State Fire Marshal Tonya Hoover. “And sending more than 20,000 people to emergency rooms across the nation.”
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas that is produced from heaters, fireplaces, furnaces and many types of appliances and cooking devices. The best way for homeowners to stay protected from CO is to have a carbon monoxide detector installed on every floor and outside each sleeping area. A recent study found that nearly nine in 10 California households did not have a CO detector.
“We encourage all of our Long Beach residents to comply with this new law to protect their families and loved ones from this potentially lethal hazard,” said Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Reeb.
Though previous laws only required newly constructed homes to have CO alarms, the state’s new Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act (Senate Bill 183) requires owners of all existing single-family homes with an attached garage or a fossil fuel source to install CO alarm devices within the home by July 1, 2011. Owners of multi-family leased or rental dwellings, such as apartment buildings, have until Jan. 1, 2013 to comply with the law.