- Any home with a device that burns fossil fuels should have a CO2 detector. This includes the use of gas, oil or propane furnaces, a fireplace or a wood stove.
- Laws requiring the installation of CO2 detectors are becoming more commonplace. You should check with your local government to see what the laws are in your area. Some states such as New York and Washington have statewide laws requiring CO2 detectors in all homes. In other states, certain counties and municipalities require CO2 detectors or the detectors are only required for certain dwellings.
- At this time the states in which one or more municipality has a CO2 law are: Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin. New laws continue to be passed, however, so property owners should check to see what the requirements are in their areas.
- While a CO2 detector may look similar to a smoke detector, it does not have the same function. A CO2 detector should never be installed in place of a smoke detector. In addition to changing batteries regularly, most CO2 detectors need to be replaced every five years.
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