Jun 4, 2006 7:33 pm US/Central
Law Requires Carbon Monoxide Detectors In Homes
by Maya Nishikawa
Minneapolis (WCCO) ―
A new Minnesota law will mean homes will have to be protected by carbon monoxide detectors. Safety advocates say the new law could save 100 lives in Minnesota each year.
This isn't usually the time of year we think about the dangers of carbon monoxide. But, the Gese home is always protected by a plug-in carbon monoxide or CO detector. It's placed near the family's bedrooms.
"It's never once gone off. I've never seen the value of it, but there's maybe a small peace of mind in the back of my mind," said Billy Gese, a Southwest Minneapolis resident.
Starting next year, all new homes and apartments in Minnesota will be required to have the gas detectors installed within ten feet of each bedroom. Eventually, older homes and apartments will be required to have them too.
Carbon monoxide can build up in homes with malfunctioning furnaces, fireplaces, water heaters, and wood burning stoves. Sometimes doing things like remodeling your home can also cause what's called back drafting. That's when the poisonous gas flows back into the home because of a ventilation imbalance.
Three people lost their lives in a remodeled Red Wing, Minn. home on Christmas Eve of 2005 when the gas couldn't find its way out. Nationwide, about 500 people die every year from CO poisoning and another 10,000 need medical attention.
It's protection Billy Gese feels is worth having in his home.
"I know the detector hasn't done anything for us yet, but if it saved somebody life once than it's probably worth it," said Gese.
The new carbon monoxide detector requirements go into effect for new homes in January of 2007. Existing homes must have them by August of 2008 and existing apartment buildings by August of 2009.
Most carbon monoxide detectors cost between $20 and $40.
Safety experts say it's a good idea to have your furnace checked annually.
Dust or iron particles on your water heater could be a sign of a carbon monoxide problem. If you're planning to remodel, you should look into what effect the changes may have on the ventilation of your home.
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