Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Carbon monoxide detectors are now law. As of October 15, 2014 all residential homes in Ontario must have a detector adjacent to every sleeping area regardless of where it's located.

To prevent carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, you should have furnaces and other fuel-burning appliances in your home inspected regularly by authorized service personnel.

See below to learn more about carbon monoxide poisoning and detectors:

What is carbon monoxide poisoning?

Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless, tasteless and toxic gas often referred to as the "silent killer". When inhaled, it inhibits your blood's capacity to transport oxygen throughout your body. Carbon monoxide can poison you quickly if highly concentrated or slowly over long periods of time.

How is carbon monoxide generated?

Carbon monoxide is a by-product of incomplete fuel combustion such as natural gas, propane, heating oil, kerosene, coal, charcoal, gasoline or wood. Incomplete combustion can occur in any device that depends on burning for energy or heat, such as furnaces, room heaters, fireplaces, hot water heaters, stoves or grills and any gas powered vehicle or engine. The following can create unsafe levels of carbon monoxide (CO):

Automobiles left running in attached garages;
Gas barbecues operated inside your home;
Grills or kerosene heaters that are not properly vented; or
Chimneys or vents that are dirty or plugged.

When properly installed, maintained and vented, any CO produced by these devices will not stay inside the home.

What are some symptoms?

Exposure to CO can cause flu-like symptoms such as headaches, nausea, dizziness, burning eyes, confusion, drowsiness and even loss of consciousness. In severe cases, CO poisoning causes brain damage and death. The elderly, children and people with heart or respiratory conditions may be particularly sensitive to CO.

What are some danger signs?

You or other members of your family have symptoms of CO exposure (see above).
You notice a sharp, penetrating odour or smell of gas when your furnace or other fuel-burning equipment is turned on.
The air is stale or stuffy.
The pilot light in your furnace or other fuel-burning equipment goes out.
Chalky white powder forms on the chimney/exhaust vent pipe or soot build-up occurs around the exhaust vent.

How can unsafe levels of carbon monoxide be detected?

Carbon monoxide detectors monitor airborne concentration levels (parts per million) of carbon monoxide and sound an audible alarm when harmful CO levels are present. Be sure that your detector has been certified to the Canadian Standards Association CAN/CGA 6.19 standard or the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 2034 standard.

What should I do if I suspect carbon monoxide in my home?

If you or anyone else in your home is experiencing the symptoms of CO poisoning, ensure that everyone leaves the home immediately and leave the door open.
Call your local fire department or 911 from a neighbour's telephone.
If your CO detector sounds, do not assume it is a false alarm. Open all doors and windows to ventilate your home. If you cannot find the problem and the alarm continues, contact the fire department.
If there is a strong smell of natural gas in your home, leave immediately, leave the door open, and contact your local gas utility.
If you have no symptoms, reset the detector and check if the alarm activates. If the detector sounds a second time, call the fire department for their assistance.
If the detector does not sound a second time, check for conditions that may have caused a CO build-up (see the illustration below) or contact a qualified heating contractor to check your fuel-burning equipment.

Where should I place a carbon monoxide detector in my home?

Your CO detector should be located as near as possible to your bedrooms, where it can wake you if you are asleep. Where sleeping areas are located in separate parts of the home, a detector should be provided for each area.

Additional CO detectors should be placed on each level of your home.

Detectors should also be in rooms where combustion devices are located such as: solid fuel-fired appliances; a gas clothes dryer or natural gas furnace; or adjacent to potential sources of CO such as in a teenager's room or granny suite located adjacent to an attached garage.

Unlike smoke, which rises to the ceiling, CO mixes with air. A CO detector should be placed at knee-height which is about the same as prone sleeping height or chest height to prevent tampering by pets, children and vacuum cleaners.

To work properly, a detector should not be blocked by furniture, draperies or other obstructions to normal air flow.

If you install a combination smoke/carbon monoxide detector, install it on the ceiling to ensure that it will detect smoke effectively.

Please refer to the manufacturer's instructions for additional information regarding proper use and maintenance.

What are some additional safety tips?

Your knowledge and actions can prevent carbon monoxide poisoning and save lives. CO detectors are a good second line of defense, but regular inspections, maintenance and safe use of fuel-burning equipment is equally important.

The Office of the Fire Marshal is part of a Carbon Monoxide Awareness Committee (comprised of representatives from industry, government, fire services, public utilities, standards and certification agencies and appliance manufacturers) dedicated to protecting the public against CO hazards through greater awareness and understanding.

Additional home heating safety information is available on the Technical Standards and Safety Authority website.