New Colorado rules for CO detectors

Did you hear? As of July 1, 2009, carbon monoxide detectors with alarms are now required for homes that are for sale or rent in Colorado. You may remember the publicized CO deaths in the Lofgren family last November 2008 at a vacation home in Aspen and in the Johnson family last January 2009 of their daughter attending college in Denver. These deaths lead to the recent law (CRS 38-45) . Approved CO detectors need to be located within 15 feef of the entrance to all bedrooms. Also, in multi-family rentals, an approved CO detector needs to be within 25 feet of any fuel-fired heater, appliance, fireplace, or garage.

What makes a CO detector "approved"? It follows the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) standards. Read the label and look for: UL standard 2034 or IAS standard 6-96 .

How do you know it is working, since CO is a colorless, odorless, toxic gas? When installing it, of course, follow the manufacturer's instructions. Make sure an alarm is within 15 feet of each sleeping area and has a working battery or is tied into the home's electrical wiring. CO mixes with air, so the detector needs to be in the open and can be placed at any level. There is a test button, like those on a smoke detector, to make sure the alarm sounds when the circuit is closed. The CO detector works by closing the circuit and turning on the alarm when CO levels of a certain amount are present for a set amount of time. The amounts of CO are measured in parts per million (ppm). Below 70 ppm CO, most people don't have any symptoms. CO blocks the body's ability to use O2. The CDC has a good explanation of this. Symptoms of increasing CO poisoning include headaches, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, up to chest pain, unconsciousness, and death.

What do you do if the CO detector alarm sounds and you're not feeling the symptoms listed above? Open the windows, turn off the heater or whatever is burning fuel and call the qualified technician for that fuel burning device. If you're feeling the symptoms above when the alarm sounds, evacuate the house and call 911. The fire department has equipment to measure CO levels and can provide needed first aid.

Sellers, landlords, buyers, and renters have one more safety device to be aware of in their residences. Home sellers and landlords are to install these devices. Home buyers and renters need to check for these, as they would for smoke detectors. Distressed homes being sold "as-is" may not have CO detectors installed and may not have sellers who will/can install the detectors, so buyers be aware of that additional fixup the property will need.