Laws can sometimes seem confusing, right? In July 2011 it became mandatory in California for single family dwellings to have carbon monoxide detectors, so home owners and the real estate community have scrambled to understand the requirements. Basically, you should have a CO detector if your home has any of the following: a) Attached garage; b) Fireplace; or c) Any gas appliance or a gas heater. Most houses have one of the three, so this means carbon monoxide detectors are required for most homes.
What’s wrong with this photo? I’ve seen this issue quite a bit lately and twice in the past week. What problem exists when having only one carbon monoxide detector in a house INSIDE the bedroom? There are two issues:
- A bedroom installation appears to violate Sacramento County Code since CO detectors are required “outside” of a sleeping area (see below). There is no rule against them being inside bedrooms, but if they are ONLY in bedrooms, that’s a problem. Most online sources say carbon monoxide detectors should be installed outside the sleeping areas, but if you want to go the extra mile, install them inside bedrooms also.
- I’m not a carbon monoxide specialist, but doesn’t it seem best to install the detector in a place to alert you BEFORE it gets to your bedroom?
What does County code say? Sacramento County Code Section B-8 R315.1 and R315.2 says the following regarding where carbon monoxide detectors should be installed:
- Outside of each separate dwelling unit sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedroom(s).
- On every level of a dwelling unit including basements.
How many should you install? If you have a two-story house or several sleeping areas in your home, it may be necessary to install several CO detectors (not just one). Check out a previous post I wrote to view diagrams on where to install carbon monoxide detectors. Since CO detectors are required for FHA loans (in California at least where it is the law), they should be installed properly to avoid required repairs during the appraisal process.
Further Resources:
Office of the State Fire Marshal in California (PDF article)
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (article)
Health and Safety Code Section 13260-13263 (the letter of the law)
I hope this helps. Be safe out there.
If you have any questions or Sacramento home appraisal or property tax appeal needs, let’s connect by phone 916-595-3735, email, Twitter, subscribe to posts by email (or RSS) or “like” my page on Facebook
Thanks always for keeping our sellers informed – to see this in print in “real language” helps sellers understand the “what, where, and why” of regulation. So thank you Ryan! You have been very helpful on the CO detector mysteries for our sellers when we share your articles.
Thanks so much Heather. I really appreciate it.
It seems like many agents and owners are aware of the issue, but there is still room to digest the technicalities and get refreshed on the specifics from time to time. Thanks again.
There are nice drawings in the installation instructions that are consistent with code. When all else fails, read the instructions! 🙂
C’mon, Jeff, read the instructions? 🙂 You’re right about that actually. People should rely on the instructions first and foremost since each detector is a bit different. The instructions should tell you where to put it in terms of height and how close to vents and such too.
I know that could have come off as a silly comment, but in most cases, building code defers to manufacturers’ installation instructions.
Wise words, Jeff. Thank you.
Do the carbon monoxide have to be hard wire
Hi Victor. Thanks for asking. They do not as far as I know unless code has changed. The definitive source of course would be a quick call to your local fire department. Keep in mind code in California could be different for homes that are brand new, but existing homes do not have to be hard-wired (what a pain that would be for so much of the housing stock).
Found your site while searching for best location to install CO detectors. While it makes sense to install outside the bedroom, to detect the CO before it gets to the bedroom–what about a cracked heat exchanger in a forced-air gas furnace? In that base, CO would be getting pumped in to the bedrooms directly through the heat vents, whereas detectors outside in the hall is usually much further from heat vents. So installed in the bedroom, it seems the alarm would alert to a bad furnace more quickly, but also be in an adequate location in case of a CO leak from somewhere else, like a bad water heater vent? If the gas got into the bedroom, it would alert as well? My fear is having people asleep in bedrooms with doors closed, and the furnace failure causes CO to build quickly in those small spaces but not trigger an alarm until the larger spaces in the home also sense a buildup, which could take much longer?
I guess the experts know best, but I am trying to figure it out. My house has 11 spots for smoke detectors that I need to update, 5 in bedrooms, 3 right outside those bedrooms, and 3 great rooms/family room. I was planning to put smoke/CO units outside the bedrooms as advised, then the 8 others in the bedrooms and other areas, but I am questioning myself now!
Peter, I wish I had something more for you. I suppose we could go by the letter of the law for what code says, but if you feel in your instance it’s better to be located inside, then maybe that’s wise. My understanding is that CO alarms typically last about 5 years, so while it is an upfront expense for every bedroom, you wouldn’t have to replace them for quite a while.
Wow, thanks for the quick reply Ryan! What I’ve decided to do is put one of the combo smoke/co detectors in one bedroom. If the CO emergency is caused by furnace fault distributing CO via the hot air supply, that one should trigger quickly, and since interconnected, alert the entire system. The other two I will put just outside bedroom areas as many experts advice. This is a good balance for my situation, that I’m comfortable with.
I’m employing the same strategy for ionization vs photoelectric smoke detection. I have 4 of each, and will distribute them randomly among bedrooms/living areas, to hopefully give me the best shot of being alerted to any type of fire.
Thanks again for the quick reply and I enjoyed reading your blog.
Good for you. Way to think critically about the issues.