Carbon Monoxide alarms are now mandatory in your home

Who knew? As of July 2011, all single-family family homes in California are required by law to have a Carbon Monoxide alarm. That is, if they have some form of fossil fuel-burning appliance or fireplace, which most do. Apartment buildings will be required to have them from January 2013, and owners are responsible for installing them, not renters.

Is this really an unnecessary law or just the next step in a process that began with smoke detectors and will one day become a multi-purpose detection system monitoring all sorts of potential hazards? I am undecided. These new alarms basically follow the same set of rules as smoke alarms – if you don’t have them and there is an accident, your insurance won’t pay up, so beware. No one is going to bust into your home to check that you have one but if you do not install one within 30 days of notice, fines kick in up to $200.

The alarms are available at various retail stores for between $20 and $30. The photo shows a regular $27 one from Home Depot (they have cheaper ones and more expensive multi-purpose ones).